Truth in the Basement
by everlark4ever75
Summary: Katniss and Peeta are still in love, deep down even after the Quell and Peeta's hijacking. There is a part of Peeta that loves Katniss, despite the hijacking. Will Katniss and Peeta declare the love they have for each other in the Capitol? Will the Girl in the Lemon Yellow Jacket be important? Disclaimer goes to Suzanne Collins. Story more interesting than summary!
1. Chapter 1- Memory or an Edit

**Katniss and Peeta are still in love with each other- deep down even after the Quell and Peeta's hijacking. There is still a part of Peeta that loves Katniss. Will Katniss and Peeta announce there love for each other in the basement of Tigris's place? This story is an idea from Everlark_4ever_ on Wattpad. Disclaimer goes to her and Suzanne Collins. Story better than summary! R &R!**

Chapter 1- Memory or an Edit

 **Katniss's POV**

The basement of Tigris's basement is small and clammy. It's nothing like I have been in before, yet it somehow feels more homely than 13 ever was. This little and filled up underwear shop is one that doesn't receive business. Especially in these days of war and rebellion. The garments here are soft and bring a sense of comfort to my touch. I cannot help but have my fingers running through the beautiful furs and materials. It all reminds me of Cinna in a way. Such beautiful feeling materials. Such talent in these designs, yet nothing as delicate and sophisticated as a simple stich by Cinna's hand. It brings me a sense of sadness yet comfort- but it doesn't take my mind off of all the people dead; because of me.

Boggs and Mitchell on the block, Messalla melted by a pod, Leeg 1 and Jackson sacrificed themselves at the Meat Grinder, Castor, Homes and Finnick from the lizard mutts. We lost eight of our own. Two my friends- Finnick and Boggs. Two my camera crew- Messalla and Castor. Four from Squad 451- Mitchell, Leeg 1, Jackson and Homes. Eight dead in twenty-four hours. It doesn't seem real. I want to look over and see Castor laying with Pollux in those piles of furs a few metres away. Boggs should be coming down those stairs from the shop with a plan of attack, Holo safely in hand. And for Finnick to be next to Peeta against the wall, staying by his side because Peeta seems to only trust him. But, of course I can't. I took away so many lives and Peeta's hijacking is also my fault.

Peeta.

Oh, Peeta.

He doesn't trust any of us. He doesn't want to be here and he shouldn't. He should be still in 13, healing from the hijacking Snow branded him with. He hates me. He will never be that boy that fell for me when we were five. That is only a memory that for him- might not even be there anymore. I hate Snow so much for taking away my boy with the bread. I never realised what I had until he was gone. I just wanted him to come walking through those doors- coming up and kissing me because he could. But again- no. Snow made that impossible. He doesn't remember me for who he saw me as. Only a person that everyone else viewed as a threat to civilisation. You never realise what you got until it's gone. Except- the thing that I lost, will never be the same- ever!

My eyes start to water for the first time since coming on this mission. I cry silently for who is now above us. I cry for those families that will never see the person they love again. I cry for Prim- how I failed her, again. But most of all- I cry for Peeta. I should have thought about how much I relied on him after the first Games. How much he truly meant to me. I should have realised so sooner that I really had feelings for him. Feelings I know I only have for Prim and no one else- Love. I love him and I never realised until I heard Haymitch's voice saying- _'They're back!'_. How much I wanted to run into his embrace. How much I wanted to feel his lips on mine. How much I wanted him to say 'I love you too' after I finally said it to him. But again- Snow made such a thing impossible.

Everybody else, the remaining people- Cressida, Gale, Pollux and Peeta- they are all soundly asleep. We have needed this shelter in such a long time. We haven't had a break from this trip in so long and this is finally it. We can sit, drink freely from the tap in the corner, sleep for long hours of the day and night. Cressida trusts her because Plutarch did- I am starting to too. I could be sleeping along with the others- catching up on much needed sleep- but no. I'm laying here crying to myself because I'm so over my life and when Snow is dead- I'm going to join him and everyone else.

Not a few hours ago we were running from the Meat Grinder. Our legs were sore from running, our hearts were pounding, knowing that we were going to die sooner rather than later. We were a few hundred metres from the exit of underground when the Meat Grinder as behind us. I was running with the others when I realised- Peeta wasn't running with us. I stopped instantly and I saw him on the ground, his head in his hands, his mumbling loud yet so distant with the space between us. I called out his name and then I ran over to him and he was yelling- _'I'm a mutt! I'm a mutt!'_ \- over and over again.

I tried to assure him that he wasn't but I knew he was slipping into the mutt Snow put inside him. I pulled him from the ground and then held his face in my hands. The only thing I could do to help him and the only thing I could think of was pressing my lips to his. It was only quick, but after I asked- _'Stay with me?'_ \- He whispered back- _'Always'_. He then got to his feet with my help and I grabbed his hand and we ran together towards the others who were waiting for us. We then ran here to Tigris's and that's where we are now.

I can feel his lips still on mine. It was only quick and brief- but it started that hunger in my stomach. At first that hunger scared me- in the first arena- but now, I am aware it means that I care for him and that my body wants him. More than what my mind did at a stage in the game. My mind and body are both craving for a touch from Peeta, or just one of his genuine smiles. Either one would make my whole time since losing him fade away into something so beautiful. But, again- Snow made it that such a thing cannot happen.

I wipe my eyes clear of my tears and then I snuggle down into the softs furs my body has taken over. I figure I may as well try and get some sleep before everyone else wakes up. So, I close my eyes and I take a deep breath before trying to fall into sleep. After a few minutes of attempted tries at sleeping, I sigh softly and then get up so I can gather some water to sooth my dry throat from all the crying. After I gulp down a few cups and spraying my face with the water, I turn the tap off and then I lean against the wall, the cup still in my hand. I take a deep breath before I compose myself and walking back to my pile of smooth furs. I place my cup back near my furs and then I get ready to get back into the furs. The thing that stops me is a pair of radiant blue eyes staring at me through the darkness.

Peeta.

"What are you doing up?" I whisper, walking closer to him so my voice doesn't wake up Gale, Cressida and Pollux.

"I just… I heard you crying. It woke me up." He answers, his voice soft and bewildered.

"Sorry. I didn't know I was being that loud." I state truthfully.

"When I heard it, I wanted to come and comfort you for some reason. I almost felt- obligated." Peeta tells me.

This makes me want to cry again. He still wants to comfort me even when he thinks I am a mutt. Prim's words couldn't be more correct- _'The old Peeta, the one who still loves you is still in there. Don't give up on him'_. Little duck is too wise for her age. I am now kneeling in front of him, still a fair distance, but safe enough in case the mutt inside him comes out unexpectedly.

"I used to comfort you? Real or Not Real?" He whispers, trying to make sense of waking up to my crying.

"Real." I answer after a second.

"Why would I do that?" He asks, more as a question he needs the answer too- not something offensive.

I think about his question for a while, thinking about whether or not I should just tell him everything or to just lie to him like he thinks I already do. I think I chose my answer correctly.

"Because you loved me. If I was in pain- you were in pain. Same as if you are in pain- I am in pain. It's just how our minds work- we look out for each other. Because, deep down we both care more about the other than what we truly think." I explain to him subtly, hoping that it won't start havoc.

He thinks upon what I have said for a good few minutes. I think it must be a good thing because he just sits there, muttering soft things to himself that are barely audible. I think he is trying to come back to me.

"I'm trying you know." He says suddenly.

"What?" I answer, shocked by his sudden words.

"I'm trying to filter through all these memories. It's kind of hard, but… more and more of these memories are coming into my head. These ones aren't shiny- these seem real, but… I just can't tell anymore. I don't know what's real… and what's not. I'm trying to come back to you, because I have feelings for you that Snow could never touch. They never went away- even when the mutt takes over, there is another voice… screaming at me to stop and to think. It's very difficult and confusing." Peeta explains, talking softly to me.

I didn't know that he still had some feelings for me. I knew that there was something there, deep down- but I never knew it was a voice yelling at him telling him to come back the same as I do when he is having those episodes.

"If you want, I could help you with your memories. Tell you what is a memory and what is an edit. It could help you." I offer, hoping he will say yes.

I just want Peeta to come back to me- even if it is a few years from now or a few minutes. I just want him back so I can love him finally- for real. He ponders at my offer for a few seconds and then gives a slight nod. I take a deep breath before I sit and ponder about what things he is going to ask me. He has his eyes closed and is taking long shaky breaths. There is a few minutes before he asks,

"It looks like you are about- ten. You are moping around 12 in a big hunting jacket."

So far that sounds correct. I did mope around 12 because it was after my father died, I used to wear his jacket like I do now. Well did when I was in 12.

"You, you then walked to a tree and sat down next to it, leaning against it. You then cried. I heard you cry and call out for your father. It happened regularly. Is that a memory?" He asks slowly.

Snow didn't take as much of his mind that what I thought. I did that, but I thought that no one saw me. It sounds so correct that I couldn't tell it better myself. But then again- Peeta's always had his way with words.

"That's a memory. I didn't know anyone could see me. But, yes- it happened. It was after my father died, he left us and I had to start caring for my family. We starved and that's why you threw me the bread when we were eleven- because you saw me struggling and you loved me." I tell him, not caring about steering clear of anything- I'm over not telling him the truth.

He starts to nod slowly as he takes it in.

"It doesn't look shiny- so I should have guessed it was correct. I'm sorry about your father. _No you're not!_ Yes, I am!" Peeta begins to argue with himself.

"It was a while ago, so it doesn't really matter." I say quickly, before I regret something I would say.

"It does matter, Katniss. I know you loved him- you don't have to dismiss his death. You don't have to dismiss any deaths. Every death deserves a mourning." Peeta tells me.

That sounded like the old Peeta. The one who loves me.

 _Please Peeta! Please come back to me! I love you!_

I nod along to what he says and then we continue with the real and fake memories. We do it for at least an hour and I couldn't be happier to. Every time I say something is a memory- the real Peeta shows himself again. Soon he is cracking jokes, but it's not anything bad. Soon we are laughing silently with each other and gazing into each other's eyes. Just wish the mutt inside Peeta would go away so I would have my Peeta back. Soon we grow tired and I help Peeta into a more comfortable sleeping position. I can't help myself when I stay next to him, brushing my fingers on his fore head and through his hair. It's making him fall asleep as well as giving me some sort of comfort. His eyes stay trained on me as I do this for a few minutes before his eyes droop from being tired. I still keep brushing his fore head and hair for a few minutes after that. The next thing I do is more a reaction from my body then from my mind. I lean over and press my lips lightly against his. That hunger is back, but I cannot let it take over. My mind then realises what I did and I pull back and scurry back to my pile of furs before he wakes up.

 _Nice one, Katniss. If the old Peeta was in there, you probably just pushed him back further from coming back in! God, you are so stupid!_

I fall into the pile of furs and then I bury my head down deep- making sure that he doesn't hear my cry this time. I try to cry softly, but my sobs grow louder and louder and I cannot control them. I'm certain that everyone has awaken to my cries now. But, I couldn't help it. If the real Peeta was in there, he would have kissed back, but he didn't.

 _He's gone and he's not coming back! I've ruined it again!_

I keep on crying and crying and then I feel a hand on my back and I look up instantly- hoping that it is Peeta. But wait- He's gone! I see Cressida sitting next to me, softly rubbing my back, trying to calm me and it works a little bit. I keep crying and eventually I have stopped and I am only hiccupping and whimpering. Soon I fall into a sleep where I am with Peeta and we are happy together. I just wish that would really happen.

 **Hey guys, I'm back again and with a new story! This is my friend and biggest fan -from Fight til the End and Freedom's Finally Ours-** **This is her idea and she has her take on this on her Wattpad account- Everlark_4ever_. She wanted to read a story with the same idea instead of her writing it, so I volunteered. I literally think about writing this every time I get. Next chapter will be up in a few days. Those awaiting for Chapter 17 of FFO (Freedom's Finally Ours) It will be up soon, I only have a few thousand more words and then I'll upload it. Should only be a few more days. I'll try and update these the same day! Anyways, I hope you enjoyed and please review and tell me what you think! It gets to much better! Believe me! Love you guys, everlark4ever75 xox**


	2. Chapter 2- Returning to my Love

Chapter 2- Returning to my love

 **Peeta's POV**

 _Her lips are on mine. I just confessed that no one needs me, which is true. No one does. I have always been the boy that just tagged along and caused problems. I can feel her lips making a million fireworks and explosions go off in my stomach. Our lips move in-sync as the water laps around our bodies. I really love her. I never want to be apart from her. The next thing I know she has disappeared and I am now standing outside of my old school. My eyes are directly looking at a girl with a red plait dress and two long dark braids falling down her back. She turns and I see her piercingly beautiful Seam grey eyes. She smiles up at a man that could only be her father. I look up and see my own father holding my hand and smiling down at me. He tells me about her and her mother and I tell myself I will never let her out of my sights._

 _Next thing, the school yard is gone and we are in the music room. Everything else I blurry except for a chair in front of me. The same girl I swore to look out for then steps onto the chair and then starts to sing and I instantly fall for her. She is the most beautiful thing in the history of the world. I love her. The next minute- I am seeing her everywhere. I see her age into a beautiful teenage woman and I feel my love for her growing bigger and bigger. I see us kiss a few times yet only one on the beach and one in a cave make me crave more. I love her. I love this girl. Katniss. I love her. I love her._

I wake up breathing quickly. It takes me a little while to realise that we are still in Tigris's basement. Katniss? Where's Katniss? I remember. Everything is back. I love her. I need to see her. The mutt inside me has gone. I don't know where he has gone, but I know that it's somewhere deep down inside. It's probably around the afternoon, yet everyone else is still asleep. I need to see Katniss. I need to know is she is okay. I heard her cries last night. The second lot that went longer than the first lot. I want to hold her and kiss her and tell her everything is going to be okay. But, it will take a long amount of time and convincing to tell her that it's really me and that I am back.

I shake my handcuff, hoping that will get someone's attention. The next thing I know, Cressida is descending down the stairs with a couple of bowls- most likely containing food.

"Peeta, you're awake." She states, walking over to me.

"Yeah I am. Look I know I am going to sound crazy and you probably won't believe me, but I'm back. Somehow last night all the memories came back. I love her, Cressida. I love Katniss. The mutt has gone. He's deep down inside and he hasn't been back since she kissed me. I love her and I just want to hold her and…"

"Wait a second, Peeta. What do you mean you are back?"

"Katniss was helping me sort through memories last night, telling me if they were real or not. And all of them I asked her about were real. Then when I eventually fell asleep, everything about her and how much I love her came back. The mutts gone and I've returned. I know I sound absolutely crazy, but…"

"I believe you. The other Peeta never talked this much. I didn't really know you besides from your public appearances- but I can hear that it's you. But- I need someone to know that it's the real you before I un-cuff you, okay?" Cressida interrupts.

"Yeah, okay." I nod.

The next minute, Cressida is gone and has come back with Gale. I was expecting her to come back with Katniss, but I will take whoever I can.

"Ask him something that only 'the real Peeta' would know the answer too." Cressida tells Gale.

"Why?" Gale asks.

"Just do it!" She demands, putting down the bowls and watching us.

He looks at me and then thinks about what to say obviously before asking,

"What were your brother's names?"

"Aleex and Jeerden."

"Who did your mother hate more than anything in the world?"

"People from the Seam. She called them Seam scum. That's why she hated Katniss so much."

"On the first day back of school in year seven- What did Katniss wear?"

"She wore her hunting boots and jacket, a long medium green skivvy and dark pants. Her hair was in a long braid down her back."

 _God, he is really testing to see if it was me. I sound like such a stalker!_

"Last one- She used to sing what song to Prim as they walked home from school on a Thursday?"

"Safe and Sound. A song from before the Dark Days. She sung it every day without fail." I answer.

He takes a deep breath and then looks up to the ceiling before stepping back and throwing his hand towards me.

"It's really him." He tells Cressida, before walking away to the other side of the room.

Cressida turns to me and smiles.

"Welcome back, Peeta!" She says.

I smile and then I hold out my hands so she can un-cuff me. She does swiftly and then I rub my wrists, now free from the cuffs.

"She's asleep now. She was up for a long time last night…"

"I know. I heard her." I say, getting sad just thinking about her cries last night.

"I think she would appreciate it if you were there when she woke up. She's missed you so much. I think she was crying over you last night. I heard her whimper your name a couple of times." She explains.

Now I feel horrible. Katniss was crying over me last night and I wasn't even there to help her. I am so happy I am finally back to my original self so I can finally be there for her. I never want to hear her cry like that again, especially if I am the one making her cry like that.

"Okay, I'll go and be with her. Thank you… for believing it was me. You have no idea…"

"Uh, uh, uh! You're back and I could see it. Go be with her. Be there when she wakes up. Don't make me tell you again." She tells me.

"Thank you." I say.

"Do you want to eat now or to wait until Katniss wakes up? Because she could still be a while." Cressida asks.

"I'll wait. I went weeks without food in the Capitol, I can last a few extra minutes for her." I tell Cressida before she smiles, waves me off and I scurry over to her.

She sleeps in a pile of furs that look so soft. I grab a chair with a broken back over and I sit next to her. I hear her soft and steady breaths as she breathes in and out. Her eyes are puffy from crying last night, her hair is a mess, yet her face looks so peaceful as she sleeps. I run my hand over the furs, soft at the touch and then I lean over and I start to stroke her fore head- like she was me last night. It feels amazing to touch her again and knowing that I love her and the explosions of my skin against her skin are nothing to be scared of. I wish I could just kiss her right now, but I know that if I did and she woke up- she wouldn't know it was me. She would think it was still the mutt- so I just have to wait until she wakes up and I explain it to her. I wonder how long it took her to fall asleep last night after her loud cries stopped. I wonder if she then silently cried after the loud cries finished. I know that she kissed me earlier, yet I don't even know if she loves me back.

I just hate that Snow did that to me and made her life hell. I should have been strong and fought the tracker jacker venom instead of letting it take over my body. I should have not let Snow's voice and the torture's voice get into my head- telling me incorrect things about Katniss. I shouldn't have let Katniss leave that tree without me. I should have stayed with her, fought for what we both wanted. Why wouldn't they just let me go with her? Surely they didn't know that Katniss and I were going to leave the alliance after the coil was in the water. I just- I can't believe I let them change our plans. Both Snow and the other Victor's.

I brush the back of my hand down Katniss's cheek and then I resume my previous movements of tangling my fingers through her hair and caressing her fore head. She moves her head slightly so it's facing me and she lets out a faint moan. My lips twitch into a slight smile and then brush my hand down her cheek again.

"She hasn't been the same, you know." I hear a voice say.

I look up and I see Gale standing against the wall to my right. He has his hands crossed over his chest, his foot against the wall and he is looking at me.

"Same how?" I ask, not knowing what he is inferring.

"She's hasn't been the same since the first Games." He explains.

"What do you mean?" I ask, still not knowing what he means.

"Ever since you both came home from winning the first Games, she has been so… different. She only used to look at Prim in a specific way, but those months leading up to the Victory Tour, she looked to your house in the same way- hoping you would come out and talk to her. You know that if you ever hurt you, then I will have to kill you."

"Yes, I am aware of that and I will allow it." I tell him.

"You know, she is my best friend and I will always love her in a way that Prim does." He says.

"I thought that you loved her- like I do…?"

"No. Well, I did. But I realised- what's the point when she is never going to choose me. That's why I am getting over her- so you can have her and myself not be in the way." Gale interrupts me, stating what must be hurting him.

"Thank you, Gale. I know that Katniss will appreciate that, as well as I do. Even if we all do make it out of this rebellion alive, she will need both of us. She needs you to be there- to be her friend, even if something isn't you want to be." I tell him.

"I know that I will. Even if we are in different Districts- I will still write letters to her. I might eventually be able to stand you. I know that you will never hurt her on purpose." Gale mumbles.

"I never would hurt her. I have done that too much already. I never want her in the same position again as when the mutt was inside me and fuming." I explain.

He nods and then comes over to me and claps me on the shoulder. We share a glance and then we nod at each other and he then walks away, leaving me with my thoughts again.

I think over what Gale said for ages. He's let me finally have Katniss- if she wants me anyway. After about twenty minutes of thinking, Katniss moans again, scrunching up her nose and then she turns her head away slowly so her peaceful face is no longer facing me. She moans again before her breath starts to even out again. I smile at how peaceful she looks as she sleeps. She must be having a sleep with no nightmares, which is good because she needs the sleep more than all of us. I start to slowly play with her hair that was on her face, slowly tangling my fingers in it, making me feel amazing for doing it. I do this for another few minutes and then she moans again and her breath is becoming faster and I can tell she is about to wake up- it's time to figure out how to tell her it's you and not the mutt. She turns her body again so she is lying on her side and she is facing me again. I pull my hands away and I rest my elbows on my knees and I play with the furs again. She turns smiles and then her eyes flicker on me and I compose myself for what I about to occur.

 **Please review and tell me what you think.**


	3. Chapter 3- He's Back

Chapter 3-

 **Katniss's POV**

My eyes lock onto Peeta's eyes. Those beautiful blue eyes… wait-

Peeta?

Peeta!

Wait, Peeta? What is he doing so close to me? He's having an episode and he got out of the cuffs! He's going to kill me!

He must see the panic in my eyes because he give me a soft smile. Wait- A smile only the real Peeta could give me. I'm so confused! Peeta is supposed to be chained up to the pole he was yesterday. He has no cuffs yet he looks like the real one with the genuine Peeta smile. He must see the confusion and panic because he instantly holds up his hands showing that he has nothing to hurt me with. Still that doesn't answer the question of WHY is he sitting next to me- un-cuffed?

"I know. You are very confused right now, aren't you?"

"What gives you that idea?" I ask, my voice breaking- sore from my crying last night.

He smiles and then looks up and around the room before his eyes lock with mine.

"Last night really helped me."

"Helped you how?" I ask, snapping at him.

He takes a deep breath and then brings one of his hands up and he caresses my cheek, so very delicately and softly. At first, I sigh deeply at the touch of his hand against my cheek and then reality checks in and I flinch away.

"Katniss, just think about it- Would the mutt touch you in a way that doesn't hurt you?" He asks, his voice full of wonder at his own question.

 _Would the mutt touch you in a way that doesn't hurt you? Mutt? You are the mutt. Unless-_

"Katniss, I'm back. Helping me through those thoughts helped. Last night when I was dreaming- everything came back. All the memories I had of you when we were children. All the simple little things that made me love you so much more. Everything. I know you don't believe me, but it's me! I promise I am back. I never meant to hurt you. I'm sorry for all the hurt I have caused you since the Quell. But, you have to believe me when I say- I'm back!"

What? He's back? Peeta is back? My Peeta? Back? What?

"Gale, tell Katniss that it's me. She will believe you." He calls out.

I look over and I see Gale now looking at me, his face saddened. That could only mean…

"It's really him, Catnip. I asked him questions I knew only he would know." Gale explains.

 _Peeta! He's back! My boy with the bread- returned! Peeta!_

"Peeta?" I breathe, looking into the eyes of my only boy with the bread.

"Hi." He answers with a small chuckle.

I jump up from my laying position and I wrap my arms around his neck, bring him in closer. We hold each other tightly, breathing deeply into each other's shoulders.

"Oh, I missed you so much, Katniss. So damn much!" Peeta mumbles into my neck.

"I missed you too!" I mumble, tears springing into my eyes.

I breathe in and then I cough and hiccup as I start to burst into a puddle of tears again. Peeta starts sshhing me and telling me that he's there and he's never leaving me again. It's all too much- Peeta's back. I can finally love him.

Wait!

I can finally love him. What if he doesn't want me? I don't care anymore, I have to tell him before I explode!

Eventually I calm down and then I pull back slightly so I can see him- those radiant blue perfect eyes, already staring into mine.

"You're okay, Katniss. Everything is going to be okay. I'm never leaving you." Peeta mumbles, his eyes closed and his fore head resting against mine.

I take a deep breath and I hold his head against mine with one hand while the other comes around and starts to caress his cheek. I close my eyes and my eyebrows knit together while I lightly bit on my lips.

"I missed you so much, Peeta. You have no idea. When Haymitch came and told Finnick and I that you guys were back- I just wanted to run up and… kiss you. And hold you and tell you everything was going to be okay. I felt like a piece of me had been filled when I heard him say that. But, when you weren't you…"

"Sshh."

"… My heart broke into a million pieces. I was a wreck and the whole of 13 was my witness." I tell him.

"Do not ever leave me again- you hear? Because it killed me and broke me beyond repair." I mutter.

"Promise me."

"I won't ever leave you again- even if you tried." Peeta says, chuckling a little at the end.

"Promise?"

"Promise." He says, swearing to never leave me again.

I take a deep breath and then I react how both my mind and my body want. I lean up and I press my lips against his. Peeta is a little shocked at first, but he doesn't hesitate to kiss me back. My hand travels from his cheek back to around his neck, where I lock my arms together and I pull myself up a little more. Our lips move in-sync and there only limited sounds around us. The slight drip of the tap, the buzz of the electricity running through the walls- that and our kissing noises and our occasional moans.

After a few minutes of kissing- the position I am in starts to cramp up my body. Peeta must notice my struggle and then he grabs hold of my thighs. He pulls me up so I am now off the furs and on his lap, a squeal escaping my lips as he does. He smiles into the kiss and his hands go on my hips, holding my body tightly to his. We kiss for a few more minutes- moans and sighs escaping our lips every-now and then- before a voice interrupts us

"Sorry to interrupt…"

We instantly stop and then we turn to where the voice was, seeing Cressida standing a few steps away- a smirk upon her face.

"… But I thought I should before you scar all our eyes here." She says, the smirk never leaving.

My cheeks instantly heat up and I look back to Peeta and his are red too. We both let out a light chuckle before we turn back to her.

"Oh and your foods still here. I presume you forgot about it. Maybe eating will hold you off from doing anything too- reckless, risky? I don't think that Coin would appreciate the Mockingjay being pregnant." She states.

I think if our cheeks could get any redder, they have officially gone that colour.

"Okay, I'll stop embarrassing you. Just eat something before you starve." Cressida explains.

She walks away without an answer and returns with two bowls filled with some grain and pieces of meat in a gravy, I think. Peeta moves me to the furs, then sits up and places them on the ground before going and grabbing another chair. When he comes back, he puts it next to the one he has and then grabs me by the hands and pulls me up. He sits me on the chair and then he sits down on the other one, handing me one of the bowls.

Peeta balances the bowl on his fingertips and then he spoons it to his mouth. The taste is plain, but it's not too bad. The food in 13 was worse, but I think any food from there was worse than anything. Our knees are in between the others. Peeta's knee rubs against mine and I look up at him and he is smirking. I look back down to my food and I give a small smile, trying to think about something else other than the amazing feeling going through from the contact. When I am done, Peeta is too and he grabs the bowls and then takes them and walks over to the tap and rinses them before giving them back to Cressida. Peeta comes back over and grabs my hands and pulls me up from the chair. He then walks backwards to what looks like the wall and then his back is against it. He slides down the wall and then he is on the floor, our hands still together. He then pulls my slowly to the ground and I sit between his legs. His arms wrap around me and I grab hold of his arms, securing them around me even more- never wanting him to let go.

"I missed being able to do this." He whisper into my hair, his lips grazing my neck as he talks.

"I missed you holding me." I answer, closing my eyes and thinking about him, obviously.

His lips press against my neck and it gives me a sense of… fullness. Feeling his breath tickling my skin is what makes it feel so good. I turn around and I plant a small kiss on his lips before turning around and leaning against his chest. I feel his heartbeat in my back, vibrating through my body making me feel amazing. His lips press kisses to the top of my head and all I can think about is how disgusting my hair must be.

"My hair is disgusting. I haven't washed it in ages." I say.

"It's not. My hairs the same. None of us have showered in ages." He explains.

"I could use a shower." I say, thinking about the hot water pelting against my dirt skin.

"Hang on." He says, moving me forward a bit before he stands up and walks away.

I sit against the wall then and I wait for Peeta to return. I hear the basement door open and close and then some heavy footsteps upstairs. Soon the door opens again and then I look over and I see Peeta smiling from the door. He waves his hand for me to come and I get up and I walk over to him. He takes my hand and then we go walking up the stairs.

"Peeta, what are we doing?" I ask him.

"Sshh."

He walks into the shop and Tigris is sitting behind the counter. Peeta nods at her curtly and she does the same. Peeta pulls me to behind the shop where everything is thinning out from the furs and undergarments. Peeta takes one last turn and then he pushes open a door and there is a bathroom.

"Seriously! You didn't have to ask Tigris for me to use the shower." I say, touching the white basinet.

"I ask if we could all have a shower since we haven't since being in 13. She agreed happily." He answers.

"I must stink really bad if you had to ask." I comment, smiling.

"I just wanted you to have one because I could tell you wanted one bad." He says.

I turn around and I lean over and press my lips to his. His hands go to my cheeks and then he runs his hands through my hair and we pull away.

"Will you let me brush through your hair? It'll be easier to wash your hair when it isn't all knotted together." He offers, running his fingers through my hair again.

I simply nod and then he smiles and then walks over to the basinet. He rummages through the doors and then he finds a brush and I stand in front of the mirror looking at my dirt face. He comes behind me and then he looks at me in the mirror and he smiles. He starts to run the brush through my hair and it feels so good.

I love when Peeta plays with my hair, it just feels amazing. He is brushing it very softly and he is apologising everytime a knot gets caught in the brush. I simple wave away the pain he thinks he is putting me through just tugging at my hair. Soon the brush is gliding through all my hair. Peeta puts the brush on the basinet and then he replaces the brush with his fingers. His fingers gliding through my hair feels so amazing. It feels ten times better than the brush and I can't help when I close my eyes and feel like falling over. I feel the fireworks booming in my stomach, my mouth seems to have a mind of its own. A moan escapes my lips before I can do anything to stifle it.

"I'd give anything to just wash your hair." Peeta comments.

This makes butterflies join in with the fireworks. It gives me an idea and I am so nervous and ready for what I am going to say.

"Then come and wash it."

I open my eyes and look to him towering over me in the mirror. His eyes are widened and his mouth is opened, his fingers not moving through my hair anymore. His eyes look into mine and then his lips starts to stutter as he starts to say,

"Katniss… I was… you don't have too… I was just… saying!"

I turn around and I lock my arms around his neck. The butterflies are going a million miles an hour right now.

"I want you too." I whisper.

"I am not doing anything that…"

I cut off his words with my lips pressing against his. His hands go to my hips and he tries to pull back, but I kiss him harder. He eventually gives up and then he kisses me back. My fingers run up his neck and they grab hold of his beautiful blonde locks. I wrap my arms around his neck tighter and I feel my shirt lift, exposing my skin at my sides. Peeta's fingers brush the newly exposed skin and I moan, but this time it's stifled from Peeta's mouth. He moves his fingers up to under shirt just hat little bit further and I let out another moan. He takes that time to pull away from my lips, we breathe heavily so we are almost panting.

"Katniss, I don't want to do anything you will regret." He says between breaths.

"I'll never regret doing something with you." I answer, my hands falling from his neck to his chest.

I take this chance to say it, it's the perfect time.

"I love you, Peeta Mellark."

I open my eyes and I see his looking straight into mine. His mouth twitches into a smile that goes across his whole face. His hands leave my hips and then they are cupping my cheeks. His eyes close and then I close mine and I feel his breath on my lips and his nose touching mine.

"I love you too, Katniss. So much and you will never know." He whisper against my lips.

"I have a rough idea." I breathe before his lips press against mine softly.

My arms wrap around his waist and then I push him up against the shower's outer wall. He smiles against my lips and then I do the same. My hands come to his chest and I start to unzip it, slowly. Soon it's unzipped and I push it off his shoulders. His hands come from my face and I pull the jacket from his body and is in a puddle at our feet. I pull down the braces that are like mine and I push them until they are hanging by his sides. My hands then grab the bottom of his grey long-sleeved shirt and I lift it up and from his head. My hands travel down his chest and I feel every single muscle beneath my fingers. His hands pull down the braces from my shoulders and then his fingers trace under my shirt.

He breaks his lips from mine and then he grabs my hands and he moves me back. My heels are against the bath and I sit down on the ledge. Peeta leans down and he kneels down in front of me and he takes my foot into his hands. He traces his hand up my leg and then back down to the boot. The boots! I forgot about them completely. He unlaces them and then puts them against the wall. He removes my socks and then puts them in a pile behind the door, which has now become closed. He then swiftly takes his off to join mine against the wall. He stands up and then he walks to the shower and he turns it on making it the perfect temperature.

As he does, I start to strip off my clothes slowly. The room starts to fill with steam and then he turns back around as I am pulling off my pants. My eyes find his and his are widen more than when I initially asked for this. He walks over to me silently and he cups my face again before pressing his lip to mine softly. My hands wrap around his waist and then they find his pants. My hands come back around to the front and I unbutton them and I start to pull them down. Peeta shimmies out of them and then kicks them to the door. The steam making our bodies stick together, the sounds of water running and our kissing noises fill the bathroom where we stand in our underwear.

"I don't care if you see me naked, Katniss." Peeta says, after he pulls away.

We both smile at remembering him saying that in the arena while I cleaned him from the mud in the bank. I look up to his eyes and I say,

"I don't care if _you_ see me naked."

I reach behind me and I undo my bra and I pull it from my body and then throw it at the door. I then pull down my panties and shimmy out of them before kicking them with my other clothes. I wrap my arms around his neck and then I kiss him again. His hands rest on my bare waist, pushing my hips into his.

I let go of his neck and then I break my lips away from his. I take steps to the shower, my eyes locked with his. I get into the shower and I sigh when the water hits my skin. I wipe my face and then I open my eyes when I hear the shower door shut.

 _Peeta Mellark is standing, in the shower, naked, with me! Oh my god!_

My eyes scan his body and I see all these scars on his chest. Scars from his torture in the Capitol. I look down and I see Peeta's manhood and bite my lip and look up to the shower head, in embarrassment.

"It's just me, Katniss. I'll never hurt you." He says, running his hands down my water covered arms.

One hand stays on mine and the other grabs my chin and he tilts it so my eyes are on him. I look up at him innocently and he just gives me a genuine Peeta smile.

"It's just…"

I look down again and it's bigger than what I first thought. I look back up at him and then I let out a light chuckle.

"… you're huge, Peeta!" I say, wetting my lips in an innocent way.

"I'm sorry. I can't exactly tell it to grow smaller." He chuckles.

I can't help it when I burst out laughing. I start to calm down a little and I close my eyes and rest my head against his chest.

"Look, we don't have to do anything. If you aren't ready right now, that's okay. We can wait until we are both ready. I don't think that we both want to lose our virginity in someone else's shower in the Capitol." Peeta says.

I think about this for a little while. I don't want to lose my virginity in someone else's bathroom. I don't even know if I am ready for that. We are only seventeen after all. We may not be ready now, but I can tell we will probably soon. We are still teenagers after all and we have urges, but Peeta always makes me think properly before doing something and I think he was right about that. I look up at him and I nod, starting to get nervous now of being naked in front of him.

"Let's wait." I mumble.

"Okay." He says.

Peeta gives me a small kiss and then he runs his hands through my hair again.

"We did come in here so I could wash your hair after all." He chuckles.

I laugh along with him and I brush his hair from his fore head. Soon, Peeta's hands are gliding through my hair covered with shampoo making every strand of hair soapy. As he massages the shampoo into my scalp, I can't help but moan and sigh.

"Oohh, Peeta… Aahh…"

He intakes sharply and I can tell I'm teasing him, by accident, so I stop the verbal moans. After he finishes my hair, I then wash his and it's harder considering he is taller than me. We end up laughing as we do it. We scrub the other down, steering clear of the private areas and then we kiss under the water for a little bit more before we agree to get out. When we do, we dry ourselves off and then we grab our clothes and the hairbrush before I follow Peeta through the halls where Tigris told Peeta about a room with clothes that we can choose until our get washed- curtesy of Tigris.

We get in and the room is filled to the brim. It's got all kinds of clothes and not just crazy Capitol clothing either, clothes that I am happy to wear. Peeta and I dress in different corners that are surrounded by clothes piles. I was fine him seeing me change, but he didn't want me to get too overwhelmed. I love how considerate Peeta is of me. How much he cares about what I think over what he wants. Oh, I love him so much. I dress in a dark long-sleeved shirt and some sweatpants and some think fluffy socks. I walk back out from the clothes, drying my hair with the towel, with Peeta's knowing and I see him sitting on a chair in a green shirt and dark sweatpants. I walk over to him and I stand in between his legs and then I dry his hair with the towel in my hands. His hands go to my hips and his eyes stay trained on mine as I dry his beautiful blonde curls.

After, we gather our clothes and then we head to Tigris in the shop, but now she is shutting all the blinds. Peeta asks where she wants our clothes and towels. She comes over silently and she takes them from us and then gives us a smile. Peeta asks her if we can take the hairbrush with us and she simple nods before she disappears with the uniforms. Peeta takes my hand and then we go back down into the basement. Peeta shuts the basement door and then we go walking in their silently. They all look at us and then Peeta says,

"Showers free."

I give a small laugh and then we go over to the wall we were previously at, the same position as before- myself in between Peeta's legs.

"You were in the shower for over an hour." Cressida says as she comes over to us, smirking.

"Whoops! Sorry, we lost track of time." Peeta says.

"I bet you did." Cressida says, winking.

I got to say something, but she is gone without another word, walking up the basement stairs.

"Don't worry about what they think." Peeta says as he glides the brush through my wet hair.

"I'm not. I just don't want them to think that we are doing things we aren't." I whine.

Peeta stops and then grabs my chin in his fingers.

"Don't worry about them, Katniss. We know what we are doing. They don't need to know and they can insinuate all they like." He tells me, leaning over and pressing a kiss to my lips.

"Okay?"

"Okay." I answer.

Peeta continues to brush through my hair and then he has a go at braiding it down my back- with my help of course. We then lay against the wall in each other's arms, not really saying that much. When it comes to be later, I start to get tired and I ask if we can go to bed and then we walk to my pile of furs and he goes to walk away when I grab his hand asking,

"Stay with me?"

He smiles and then answers,

"Always."

He then climbs in with me and we go to sleep, wraps in each other's arms for the first time since before the Quell.

 **LITERALLY JUST FINISHED THIS A FEW MINUTES AGO!I HAD TO POST IT. The idea for the shower scene was by the person who thought of this idea! I think it was pretty good! If you didn't think it fit with the story, just remember it was the person who thought of the idea who said 'Yes' to it being in here. I hope you like it! Tell me what you think! FFO fans- chapter up within the week, already got over 5000 words! A few more and it'll be up when it's done! Hope you enjoyed!**


	4. Chapter 4- The Plan

**THIS WAS REUPDATED AS THE CONNECTION WAS DODGY AND MESSED UP MY UPDATE! SORRY GUYS!**

 **Chapter 4- The Plans**

 **Peeta's POV**

My eyes widen as I bolt awake. I look around a little confused where I am. Then I feel a familiar body settled in my arms.

 _Katniss_.

I let out a deep breath and then I lay my head back down, running my hand down her arm- making sure I'm not still dreaming. Her head moves that little bit, snuggling further into my chest. I am so happy that 'Mutt Peeta' is gone now. He was going to be the death of me, because if I ever laid another finger on her- I would kill myself instantly. I'm scared that he is still there, waiting to come pouncing with no warning. If Katniss and I get out of this rebellion together, I will be made to be stationed somewhere. So that Dr Aurelius- my psychologist- will know, along with everyone else that I am hijack free. Yet- I am still unaware if that statement is true or not.

Katniss sighs a sigh that I heard quite a bit yesterday, before my name comes out as a sigh from her lips. My hand goes up and runs through her dark hair, just softly threading my fingers through her dark brown locks. Every little detail in her face has always been so much softer as she slept. The crease between her brows from frowning vanishes. Her lips slightly open and that little bit puckered and blossoming a pink, making it the only light feature on her exquisite darker face. Her eyelashes rid of the make-up plastered onto them for props, interviews and special occasions- leaving them naturally curled and leaning along her cheekbones. Her cheekbones softer than when Octavia made them dark and sharp, leaving them so beautiful and natural. The little bit of colour blushing through her cheeks, not the fake cosmetics that everyone wears making it look like peaches are embedded into their cheeks.

She lets out a soft snore and it makes my lips curl as I know she is dreaming peacefully. I know she is sleeping for the first time- nightmare-free- for the first time since before we were in the Quell. I hope she is dreaming something happy. Something that makes her feel free and as light as a feather, making her be happy when she wakes up. Besides actually waking up and seeing that it's still me and that yesterday wasn't all a dream. I lean down and give her a kiss on the fore head, reassuring her in her sleep that I am still here. As if answering me- yet I don't know if she is actually still dreaming or not- she says,

"Go to sleep, Peeta. Sleep."

A smile falls upon my lips, snorting softly as she knows I am watching over her even whilst she sleeps- not like I haven't before. I slept with her throughout the whole Victory Tour. I didn't sleep the whole time, I mostly revelled in the fact that Katniss Everdeen was letting me sleep in her bed, scaring away both our nightmares. I shake that out of my head, leaning my head to rest against Katniss's and I slowly lull myself back to sleep by hearing her soft and even breaths.

When I wake again, it's not from a nightmare of mine or a nightmare of Katniss's. It'd of someone shaking my shoulder, forcing me to awaken from my deep slumber. I groan and that's when I hear Katniss say my name hurriedly. I immediately assume something is wrong because of her hurried call of my name. So my eyes fly open and I look around until my eyes lay upon Katniss. She sits up on her knees upon the pile of fur, by my feet. A smile is upon her face, her eyes bright and almost shining. So I begin to wonder if anything was ever wrong in the first place.

"Katniss...?"

"I figured it out!"

I narrow my eyes at her, sitting up so I am eye level with her.

"Figured out what?"

"How to get to him. Snow. How to find him and to kill him."

I blink at her announcement, rubbing my eyes with my thumb and fore finger. I look back to her, still half asleep and I watch her lips curl into an even bigger smile.

"Tigris's shop sits around five blocks from Snow's mansion, an easy walk. They've deactivated the pods because Snow is taking resistants into the mansion for 'safety'. If we can get into his mansion, in secret, then we are in. I'll find him and then I'll kill him. Then we will have a life together... Out of the Capitol's grips. Just us."

I blink again before I let a smile cross my lips and I lean into Katniss, gathering her into my tight embrace. I bury my face into her hair, smiling for the fact that we are almost free.

Free. Free from the Capitol. Free from Snow. Freedom. Freedom with Katniss. Katniss and I. Both free from the Capitol and Snow. I never thought about how amazing it would be away from all of this. Away from The Hunger Games. Away from being a puppet of the Capitol. Away from war. Away from everything ugly and horrible in the world to do with war, killing, blood... everything. Katniss holds onto me just as tightly as I am holding onto her. She lets out a small giggle into my shoulder as I pull her closer to me when I think about Katniss and I living together safe from everything horrible in the world.

I pull back just the littlest bit and I let my hands come up to her cheeks. My thumbs brush against her cheekbones, looking into her now sparkling grey orbs. Before I can pull her head towards mine, locking our lips together, she beats me to it. We share a long and tender kiss, filled with the tender-love that blossoms between us. The happiness we both share with this news and Katniss's idea is what makes it a happy kiss, a tender kiss. When she pulls back, we stare into each other's eyes for a few seconds. I let my lips drift to her fore head, kissing it softly before kissing her cheeks also. I sit back and I let my hands fall to her thighs, pulling her closer to me so our bodies are touching.

After a few minutes of my hands rubbing up and down her thighs, us both simultaneously thinking about what our life will become after Katniss kills Snow and we rebels win- I ask,

"How did you know about Snow taking in residents?"

"When I woke up this morning you were passed out and when I got up, you didn't wake. So, Gale and I talked for a little when Snow made the announcement on the old television, I stopped and started thinking. Cressida said that Snow's mansion was about five blocks from here and it all clicked. We go out and sneak into Snow's mansion, I kill him- we go home to 12, together." Katniss explains.

"Your mind is filled with crazy and plausible plans and ideas. One day, one of your ideas is going to make me scared." I tell her, with a chuckle.

"Well, what can I say?" Katniss says, a giggle escaping her lips.

Katniss looks down to her lap, brushing her hair from her face to behind her ear. I let my hands travel up her inner thigh before retreating it when Katniss sharply intakes. I keep my hands going in the same trail- from her knee to her inner thigh, around the top and back to her knee. Katniss doesn't look up from her lap, her eyes just follow the trail of my hand, breathing deeply every time my hand grows close to her centre. She has her hands behind her, fingers curled tightly into the furs, holding onto it even harder when my hand grows close to her centre. My hand then seems to have a mind of its own when it brushes against her centre, a moan erupting from her throat. This brings me back to my senses and I take my hand off and shake my head, bringing myself back to reality. I mumble an apology to Katniss and then suggest to go and tell the others her plan- instead of dealing with this awkwardness I have causes from my own teenaged-boy hormones.

We head into the main part of the basement were we all gather to talk and watch announcements from the old television set. Pollux must be somewhere by himself because Gale and Cressida are sitting in the main area. They are talking in hushed tones and both looking at each other, deeply into each other's eyes. They don't notice us until we are almost walking into them. They turn to us, backing away from each other, Gale standing and walking to the basement door, going into the shop. Cressida sits back and she smiles as we sit near her.

"You two enjoying reuniting?" Cressida asks, winking and causing Katniss and I both to blush.

How is it that Cressida knows what to say which makes us blush and become uncomfortable?

"Yes we are." I answer, glancing over at Katniss before looking back to Cressida.

"You saw that broadcast earlier didn't you?" Cressida questions Katniss.

"Yes. And I have a plan of attack."

Cressida's eyes widen and she gives off her signature smirk.

"Does this plan of attack end with the bastard Snow's death?"

"Most definitely."

She lets out a chuckle before standing up and letting her hands slap against her thighs.

"Well, I better gather Pollux and Gale so you can share this plan with us." Cressida states, walking off to the basement door where Gale disappeared through.

Soon everyone knows Katniss's plan and they all believe that it's great and very doable. Since I woke up in the early afternoon- after having the best night's sleep, besides the nightmare, in a very long time- it's now nearing the evening. We all decided that it'd be best to leave early tomorrow morning. With that all settled, we head to doing our own things. Gale doodles things onto an old notebook he found down here, Cressida talks to Pollux whilst Pollux answers her using sign language. Katniss and I take a few big furs and head into the corner of the room that we occupied yesterday which is remotely private in a few ways. We lay a fur along the cold basement floor and then lay down, the other fur thrown over us to keep up warm whilst in an intimate embrace.

Katniss has her leg thrown over my hip and I have my hand upon her hip, pulling her as close to myself as possible. Her head rests upon my shoulder, her breath hot against my cold neck. I have my head in her hair, smelling the shampoo I was into her dark and magnificent locks. Katniss's hands are resting on my chest, making patterns and running up and down my chest. We don't move out of this stop, it's one of the most intimate things we have ever done and it feel glorious. I let my lips press against the skin on the side of her face, using my other hand to brush her hair away to one side so the side of her face is exposed to me. I trail kisses down to her cheeks, nose, jawbone and to her ear. I sigh passes her lips as my lips get to past her jawbone to her neck. She cranes her head to the side granting me access to the flesh on her neck.

"Mmhmm." She moans, the vibration humming along my lips.

I continue to kiss down until I get to her collarbone and I kiss all around there for a while. I continue trailing down when I get to her shirt, I look up to her and she has nothing but pleasure crossing her face and I let my eyes flicker from her eyes to her chest to back to her eyes. She gives a nod of her head and she pulls down the shirt so her cleavage shows. I lick my lips before lowering them down onto her newly exposed skin. Her mouths let a sigh pass her lips and she grabs onto my locks, pushing my head further into her chest. I keep pressing kisses and sucking on her flesh, knowing full well- this could be my only chance for a while, or ever. That's the types of conditions we live under currently, do it now, wait for the time to be right or risk not ever doing it because we die. I hate the conditions, but that's what we have to face.

I look up to her again, my lips still sucking on her flesh and I let it go with a 'pop'. I run my hands over her breasts, before placing my hands on her shoulders, pushing her back onto the fur. I hover above her, looking around to see that the other pile of furs closing off our little corner is still just as closed off, hiding us from the others. I then lean down, pressing a kiss to her lips before I pull back and whisper,

"You're hidden and I'll keep you hidden. Can I take your shirt off?"

She lets out a shaky breath, looking to the furs I was just looking at before she looks back to me. She closes her eyes and then gives a nod, wetting her lips and taking her teeth between her teeth.

"I promise to keep you hidden." I whisper before letting my hands drift to the shirts hem. I pull it up slowly, creeping up past her belly button, ribs, and breasts before over her head. I place it next to her head and take in the beauty of her breasts in a bra that makes them look magnificent. I then kiss her flesh again before sliding my hands around her body, finding the back of her bra. She arcs her back, pressing her body to mine making it easier to unclip it, but it just makes me get hard seeing her back arc into me. I fumble at the clip before I finally release it, letting out a sigh filled with relief. I slide it down her arms, placing it with her shirt.

Those dusty pink nipples reveal themselves and they look ravishing. I lick my lips before placing my lips on them, becoming pebbled instantly with a moan escaping Katniss's lips. She grabs a tighter hold onto my hair, coaxing me to keep going. I run my tongue around her nipple, swirling around the tip causing Katniss let out a subtle moan. My pull my mouth away, another 'pop' sound fills the air and then I lean up and whisper into her ear,

"We have to be quiet or they'll hear us."

"Sorry. Couldn't help it."

I smile before placing my lips onto her other nipple. This time the sound is more silent when I lick my way around Katniss's nipples, marking her body as mine and no one else's. She lets out a gasp when I softly bite her nipple, her hand coming up to my hair, pushing me closer. When she lets out the slightest of moans, I change to the other nipple and twirl my tongue around it until both nipples are hardened. I then kiss up her neck to her lips and kiss her with passion and she kisses me back with so much more. We continue to kiss for a while and then soon the kisses become slower and weak. Soon we just stop and look into each other's eyes.

"Stuff dinner. I just want to go to sleep." Katniss announces.

"I agree. And we have a big day tomorrow, we shouldn't be tired."

"So are we just going to go to sleep?"

"Yep. Let me first just tell Cressida so she doesn't wake us later for dinner, we'll just eat something for breakfast."

"Alright." Katniss says, reaching for her shirt.

I stand up, keeping Katniss covered while she gets back into my shirt. I inform Cressida of our need to sleep and she gives me a smirk and then I walk away, knowing she has the idea. Katniss and I don't bother going back our pile of furs, we just lay down on the ground in the furs we brought. Slowly we drift off to the sound of the tap dripping and Katniss's scent filling my nose.

 **I know it's short and I'm sorry, but I hope it's okay. I rushed the end back I hated how long I was taking. So if it's not good enough, I'm sorry. Hopefully the next chapter is longer, but I don't know yet. I started writing it in class the other day, but haven't written it up yet. Anyway, I hope you liked it. Please tell me what you think and I'll get more chapters posted as soon as I can.**

 **I hope some of you aren't offended by the lemony fluff I am having in this story, because it's going to have more. And it will get better- the lemony fluff, it'll become smut. So yeah, heads up.**


	5. Chapter 5- BOOM!

**Sorry that this chapter was all incripted last time. Sometimes my computer stuffs up and thinks I can decode something like that. Which I can, but Mum's the word... On with the chapter**

Chapter 5- Boom

 **Katniss's POV**

Gale woke us at four. His body clock still programmed to wake around four to leave for hunting. My body clock was the same until I came back from the Games and I didn't sleep through the night because of the nightmares that haunted me. Even though we are in the middle of a war zone- with inconsistent sleeping patterns- he still without fail wakes up around four o'clock, even if he doesn't get up. Tigris had our uniforms laid out for us upstairs, so we headed up to change into them.

That early morning when Peeta and I showered together, we took our time to memorize each other's body. Our hands gliding across each other's, remembering every curve, every scar, even accidently glazing across other parts which make me gasp and where he wriggles slightly. When we got dressed, we helped each other into our clothes, laughing as we make silly mistakes. We take a good couple of minutes kissing after we got dressed, revelling in the last moments we may possibly have together.

We headed into the shop when we were done, eating some breakfast. Consisting of fig cookies. After that, we dress in large coats to cover our uniform before we wait for the perfect time to leave. The big blue-green coat I wear keeps me warm as I know that I am going to be walking through the cold morning air from the Capitol. Peeta's big bulky grey coat covers his features when the hood is hung over his head. We decide Pollux and Cressida go first, getting ahead start ahead of us and getting a look on the situation. Then Cressida will talk to us through the headphone before I go out with Gale. This causes Peeta and I to look at each other with worry on our faces as we realise, these moments now may be the last we may ever have together. Considering that if we go out together, it may draw attention to us. Though, people wouldn't know that 'Mutt Peeta' has gone for the time being.

"I know that it's breaking us apart so that we both don't get caught, but people don't know that Peeta is back to Peeta..."

"We're aware, Katniss. But, it's the best way to go." Gale tells me.

"We will get back together in one piece. Hopefully. It's only a walk to the mansion, not much could possibly happen." Cressida states.

I look to her, narrowing my eyes at her.

"Really? Not much could possibly happen? You are joking right? Heaps of things could happen."

Cressida shakes her head, a smirk on her face.

"Yes, well... We should all stay positive. So, Pollux and I will go first, you and Gale next when I give the signal then Peeta will come a few minutes after you and Gale leave."

I take a deep breath, looking away to the ground.

A few minutes pass as Cressida and Gale continue talking about what could happen after we get into the mansion. I get annoyed with them and I rise from my chair, walking away from everyone. I head into the basement, closing the door above me before pacing back and forth around the small area by the door. Thoughts cloud my mind. Not being around Peeta if either of us get taken, killed... anything like that. I don't want to be away from him. I lost him and managed to get him back. What if I really lost him... I can't even comprehend such a thing. My breath starts hitching as I start thinking about Peeta really dying to the hands of the Capitol. Or getting hijacked again and never being able to bring him back. Tears fill my eyes and I choke out a sob.

The door creaks open and I walk over to the wall with the water tap. I turn it on, splashing my face with the water. I turn off the tap, standing straight and pressing my head to the wall, feeling every droplet of water fall down my chin and onto the ground. The door closes slowly and I hear footsteps coming towards me. I lift my hands up to my face, crying silently into them. Arms wrap around me and a face presses itself within my hair. I shake my head as a tears falls from my eye and I choke out another sob.

"Katniss..." Peeta's soft voice fills my ears as I break down slowly in his arms.

"I don't want any chance of you getting hijacked again. Hijacked this time without being able to come back. Or killed. I don't want that to happen... Especially when I am minutes ahead with no idea it even happened!" I cry out.

Peeta's arms come from my body and then he steps back, his body heat against me gone. His hands place on my shoulders, turning me around. I try and budge, but he has more physical strength than I will ever have, even with months gone without that muscle he once had. I keep my eyes on the ground and I am constantly brushing my hand over my face, getting rid of anything that could be on my face. Peeta's hand comes under my chin, pushing my head up to look into his. When my eyes lock with his, I look away and brush my hand over my nose.

"Katniss, look at me."

I shake my head.

"Katniss... please."

My eyes lift up to his at his pleading tone. His eyes show confidence and they make me feel that little bit better looking at him. He pushes a piece of hair behind my ear and he cups my cheeks in his hands.

"I am not going to die. Or get hijacked again. I would not let that happen again. We will get out of this revolution together and we will go back to live in 12. We will start our life together and go from there. Don't start doubting everything now that we are almost at the end. We will get out of here alive, with Snow dead so we can start our lives together in peace."

He leans down and connects our lips together. This kiss is like one that we have only shared a couple of time. Like the one in the cave. Like the one on the beach. The one that makes me crave more than just more kisses from his lips. My hands run up to his neck, pulling him down closer to me. Our kisses become heated and rushed, leaving me in a frenzy. Peeta's lips leave mine, trailing down my face to my neck. His sucks on my skin and it makes me moan loudly. All I can think about is the pleasure that Peeta brought to me last night when he placed his mouth over my breast. Feeling his hand palming my breast as all pleasure overcame my body. I can only imagine the pleasure that Peeta could inflict on me over my _whole body_. The thought of Peeta's huge member guiding itself inside me and pounding himself into...

"Katniss..." Peeta breathes, breaking my sexual fantasy.

"Whatever you are thinking now, just imagine it happening back in 12 after this is all done. I can't guarantee that we are going to get out of this revolution unharmed, but I can promise that I will go back to 12 with you and we will live a life that beats everyone else's. Okay?"

I nod, not being able to comprehend any other words. He leans down pressing the softest and most loving kiss to my lips. I try and kiss back with the same amount of love, but I don't think that anything could beat the love that Peeta has towards me. He breaks away and then he gathers me in his arms, holding me tightly to his body. I breathe in his scent, wishing that it would be surrounded by me for the next few hours before we meet again.

We pull back after a few minutes of just holding each other, wishing that it could last forever before. I grab his hand and we walk back up to the stairs leading back to the shop. I'm about to push it open when Peeta's hot breath blows on my ear.

"Oh and... I knew what you were thinking about. You moaned out a few things."

I gasp and Peeta's hand comes into contact with my behind, a slapping sound echoing throughout the basement. I let out another gasp and Peeta chuckles behind me. I open up the door and climb out with as less fuss as I can, so they don't look at me anymore than they will be. I close the door after Peeta has come back out and we head over to the others where they are standing around the doorway, Tigris making the last new adjustments to Cressida's and Pollux's coats.

I walk over to Cressida, giving her a hug and thanking her for everything she has done for us during the last few months. I then go to Pollux, he signs something in sign language. He gives off a small smile before I give him a hug as well. We all attach our microphones and headpieces before they set off into the street, guns handy by their sides. I look over to Tigris and I thank her for everything she has done for us before I give Gale a quick hug, before heading back over to Peeta. Cressida says hushed things through the microphone to all of us about how it's really crowded out there. How peacekeepers are around the proximity of them. The posters and billboards which contain all of our faces, including those who have already passed. I try and get an image in my head about what could possibly be out there and every image I can imagine is all horrifying.

" _Alright. Say your goodbyes to Peeta, Katniss. And vise-versa. It's time to leave. We have a clearing straight through to the mansion. You have two minutes_." Cressida directs me.

I look to Peeta and he smiles at me. I bring him into my arms, holding on for dear life, never wanting to leave his embrace. He pulls back, pressing his lips to mine before he presses a kiss to my fore head.

"Don't forget about what we talked about. Alright?" He whispers.

I nod my head and kiss him once more before he fixes my coat before pushing me in the way of the door.

Gale opens the door and says,

"Let's go."

I turn back and say to Peeta,

"I love you."

He smiles, kissing me quickly one last time.

"And I love you."

I smile at him, stepping back out the door, leaving Peeta behind in the shop.

"Alright, we're heading to the main street." I say into the microphone, pressing a button attached to my wrist.

Gale and I are armed with our weapons beneath our coats. And as we enter the road, we are bombarded with Capitol colours and smells around us as everyone goes in the same direction towards the mansion. I hear chatter all around us, about children asking where they are going. People talking about what they could expect in the mansion. We walk for a few minutes when I hear Peeta's voice fill my ears as well as Gale's, Cressida's and Pollux's.

" _I'm in the street."_

" _Good, Peeta. We are almost at the mansion, except... there seems to be a hold up."_ Cressida announces.

" _Talk to us, Cressida."_ Gale demands softly.

A few minutes pass before Cressida says another word. When she does, it's nothing like I expected.

 _"Snow's only taking in children. They are passing through the children and sending them to get sectioned off into age groups and gender."_

I look up to Gale and he looks down to me, our expressions both full of wonder about what we are going to have to do now.

" _So, what does that mean for all of us? What do we need to do?"_ Peeta asks.

" _That means that we need a distraction so we can actually get in."_ Cressida states.

"What kind of distraction? We get me to reveal myself so everything is based around me whilst you guys all try and get into the mansion?"

 _"No, Katniss. Not happening."_ Peeta says straight away.

" _I agree, it's not the best idea."_ Cressida explains.

"Then wha...?"

Gunshots fly through the air and screams fill everyone's ears. We duck down as I hear an explosion and I look up straight away. Buildings start to collapse before us, peacekeepers being killed, peacekeepers killing everyone around them.

" _Katniss?! Katniss?!"_ Peeta's worried voice fills my ears.

"I'm fine. We're fine."

 _"This is it! Go! Go! Go!"_ Cressida yells.

Gale and I jump to our feet and we being to run through the crowd. Jumping over people, pushing them out of the way. More shots are flying, but luckily they never get to us. We continue running towards the mansion. I hear a hovercraft above us and I see it with a symbol not of the Capitol. Gale catches it too before yelling out,

" _It's the rebels! Get to the mansion! No matter what gets in our way!"_

We continue running as we get closer and closer to the mansion.

It gets to the point where everyone is surrounding us and we can barely walk. I try and look to see what the hold-up is and I see peacekeepers in a barricade a few metres in front of us. I look to Gale and nod at him before we bring out our weapons and begin shooting them at the peacekeepers in front of us and those surrounding us. Citizens continue to cry out around us as we kill every peacekeeper we catch sight of. Soon enough we just start running back through the people and we get closer to the mansion and I see what Cressida meant. Barricades of peacekeepers taking the children from their families and them being sectioned into age and gender.

" _Where are you, Cressida? We are at the barricade."_ Gale says.

" _We are on the left side of the mansion gates. I think we have found a way in with no one knowing."_

"The left side? So, we just head left now?"

" _Yes."_

I'm about to start running to the left when Gale leaves my side. I watch him as he is dragged away from me by peacekeepers.

"GALE!" I yell.

"GALE!"

I watch as he is taken into a truck and sedated. I take deep breaths before I realise that I am now alone. I have to go forward with no one to cover me. I feel exposed now. I feel I could get taken at any moment.

"Gale's gone. Peacekeepers just took him." I say into the microphone.

" _WHAT?!"_

"He's gone, Cressida. I'm heading to you."

" _Go around all the people, there's a hedge, walk through it and you should be..."_

My eyes catch sight of the hovercraft flying over the people, a thirteen printed on the bottom of it. Parachutes fall from the sky and down to the children. Just as the children go to reach for them, they explode.

BOOM!

The world around me is blown back and I fall back to the ground. A few minutes pass just of screaming and murmurs when I get back up from the ground. Peeta's worried voice fills my ears as it has been for the past couple of minutes, but unable to respond.

" _Katniss?! Katniss?! Are you okay? Talk to me?! What was that?! Whose bombs were they?"_

"Peeta, calm down. I'm fine." I say when I get up from the ground.

" _What was that, Katniss?"_ Cressida asks.

"Bombs hit the children. They were disguised as parachutes, sent by one of Thirteens hovercrafts."

" _So, all of those children are dead?"_

"Yes... Medics are coming in..."

My eyes catch sight of one medic. Her hair in two long blonde braids down her back. Her name reaches my lips,

"Prim. Primrose."

Her head turns around and her eyes lock with mine.

"Prim?!" I exclaim.

She has a terrified look on her face as she watches me walk towards her.

"PRIM!" I yell.

" _Prim?! What?"_ Peeta exclaims.

I must have held in the button by accident alerting the others. I yell out her name one more time before her more parachutes fall, my sister bursting into flames before my eyes. Myself also being engulfed with the flames.


	6. Chapter 6- Burns Unit

**Chapter 6- Burns Unit**

 **Peeta's POV**

"What the hell was that?!" I yell into the microphone.

Another bomb has exploded, myself being blown back from this one. I can feel some of my skin burning from the fire covering parts of my body.

 _"I'm not sure. Looks like it was another bomb."_ Cressida says.

"Katniss?! Katniss?!"

I keep calling her name until I yell it out and I almost hear an echo of it. I look around and yell it out again. Another soft echo.

 _"Peeta, stop yelling..."_

"No, I think... I can hear my voice echo. Take it out for the time being. I'm just going to keep yelling."

 _"Okay. Pollux and I are signing off. I'll put it back in, in a few minutes."_

Then I just hear silence through the headphones. I hear cries and some screams softly behind me.

My hands push myself up from the ground and I cry out in pain as I feel my skin burning and in so much pain. My eyes glaze over the street that was a short time ago filled with living citizens of the Capitol. The ground is surrounded by rubble and dead bodies, blood splayed everywhere. Fire covers a majority of the people surrounding me, I don't even know if they are alive or dead. I cannot tell them apart. Not seeing someone moving a muscle and knowing I heard my own voice through another microphone makes me so much more worried about where Katniss is.

"KATNISS!" I yell.

"... _Katniss_..."

"Katniss?!"

"... _Katniss_."

I continue walking and looking around my surroundings, calling out Katniss's name until I can hear it so close to me it's almost scary. I walk through flame and blood covered bodies until I stumble upon a bloody and fire engulfed body I know too well.

"Katniss..." I breathe.

I rip off my coat, my gun falling to the ground and I begin to pat Katniss in an attempt to put out the flames. Flame catches on my shirt and I pat it down before I am covered in more burns. One flicks it way to my neck and sears the skin, making me cry out as I pat it out. My whole body burns from the flames licking my flesh, burning through my uniform. When I finish getting the flames from me, I continue to pat Katniss down until I am sure there is now more. I lift her up, pulling her coat from her as carefully as I can to help the burns, hopefully. Her eyes are closed and her lips are parted just that little bit. I feel tears prick my eyes as I hold her painfully in my arms. She looks dead. I don't even know if she is alive or dead. I have no idea. All I know is that seeing her like this is making me want to break down right here. Tears fall down my cheeks as I lean down and press a kiss to her fore head. I'm about to stay here holding her when I realise...

"Prim..."

I jump up, placing Katniss propped up on my coat and hers. I start looking around the place for Prim.

"Prim!" I yell.

"Prim!"

I walk through more of the most-likely dead people around me until I think I get to the point of impact of the bomb. Around this is a literal bloody mess. Blood, guts, flesh, hair, uniforms, bones, everything is here. I'm about to call out her name again when I see blonde braids mixed within blood and flesh. I walk closer and then I see the face attached to the blonde braids, far away from any corpse.

Prim.

I bring my hand up to my mouth and I let out a choke. I bring to search around for the rest of her body so it can at least be mostly together. It burns when the hot blood touches my burnt hands and arms as I search through bloody messes. I find what I think is most of her body and I put it with the rest of her body. It makes me cry as I pile together the remains of Katniss's sister. Prim was one who always told me about Katniss. She would come and see me sometimes at school and tell me thinks about Katniss, that Katniss will never know I know. I step back, not being able to look at it anymore, wiping my hands on my pants trying to get rid of the blood on my hands.

I walk back over to Katniss, but before I can sit down and hold her, I hear something. Something that stands above the rest of the noises around me that I had blocked out for a while there. It's the cry of a child. A cry for help. I look around, try to look for the child belonging to the cries. I begin to walk the opposite way, back to where I first was. The crying get louder and I begin to get a better direction on where it's coming from. Smoke clears from in front of me and I see where the crying is coming from. A small child, maybe four years old, curly blonde hair, lemon yellow jacket and matching hat. Her cheeks red and her big brown eyes puffy from crying. I run over to her, jumping over the bodies surrounding me. When I get to her side, she looks up to me and her big dark blue eyes lock with mine.

"Hey, sweetie. Don't cry. It's okay." I say to her.

Her crying stops and she says,

"Who are you?" In the softest, most delicate voice I have ever heard.

"I'm Peeta. I'm one of the good guys."

"Peeta." She says.

"Yeah..."

"Are you hurt? Where's your Mummy?" I ask, looking around.

She nods her head touching her head.

"I promise I am not going to hurt you. Can I have a look?"

He softly nods and I carefully take her head into my hands. I look down and straight away I see the blood soaking the whole back of her head.

"Oh, sweetie... How did you hurt yourself?"

"Someone knocked me over." She says, tears falling down her cheeks.

I lean down and I pick her up into my arms. She wraps her arms around my neck and I hold her to my body.

"Where is your Mummy?" I ask again.

She points somewhere behind me and I turn around and I see where she was looking. A woman lays covered with bloody and bits of rubble, a gunshot wound on her temple.

"Oh... Darling. It's okay. You're going to be okay. I promise. You can stay by me, okay? I'll look after you."

She nods her head and she keeps it planted against my shoulder.

It may sound stupid saying that I am going to look after a child that I barely know. But I have always had a soft spot for children. And considering that this little girl just watched her mother die and also most-likely her father, I feel obligated to help her and take care of her. Also considering she is hurt. I keep her on my shoulder as I make my way back to Katniss. When I get to Katniss, medics start rushing into the square. They start running to people and I yell out for help. They come immediately to my help. When they are by my side, they begin rushing me with questions.

"What is the condition of the child? Are you burnt from the bombs?"

Question after question after question. All I do is answer everything in the way that it should be said.

"This little girl has a head injury, blood is soaking her hair. Katniss down here was part of the explosion same as her sister. Katniss is in one piece though her sister is not. I want all of Prim's remains found and set aside for Katniss whenever she wants them, same with Katniss's mother. I am fine, a few burns which are causing me pain. But, under no circumstances are Katniss and..."

"Sweetie, what's your name?"

"Elena."

"Right. Elena and Katniss are not to be anywhere away from my sights. No matter what the condition is, I am to be in the same room as they are. Understood?"

"Excuse me, you don't make the rules..."

"The hell I don't. I'm Peeta Mellark. Do as I ask." I demand.

"And get someone to find Gale Hawthorne, Cressida and Pollux." I add.

"Yes, Mr Mellark."

They take Elena from me, immediately looking over her bloody head and other tend to Katniss. I get bombarded as well. Soon enough, my head feels woozy. I start to feel my head pound, my skin stinging as well. My whole body is throbbing like a pulse in a vein. I don't even register anything when my whole world blacks out around me. All I can think is...

 _Katniss..._

 _"Peeta..."_

 _"Peeta..."_

 _My name is called over and over in the softest, most delicate tone and voice._

 _"Peeta..."_

 _I blink, my eyes opening to find myself in a land that must be an imagination. The sky is covered over with clouds and I seem to be floating along in water that looks to be made of stars. The black liquid mixed with sparkles of shine beneath me, it flows from the mountains around me into the 'water' beneath me. It's beautiful, it's picture perfect. My body sits in a tiny boat as I float along the river of stars._

 _"Peeta..."_

 _I look around for the holder of the voice calling my name._

 _"Who's there?" I call out._

 _"Peeta..."_

 _I must get closer to the person because I can hear it more clearly now. It sounds like... Katniss..._

 _"Katniss..."_

 _"Katniss...?"_

 _I hear a soft chuckle which I've heard recently, it has to be Katniss..._

 _"That's right, Peeta. It's me."_

 _I continue looking around myself, trying to find Katniss._

 _"Well, where are you?" I call out._

 _"I'm always with you, Peeta..."_

 _My eyes widen and I jump up in the boat, turning around just to try and find her._

 _"What's that supposed to me? Did you...? You can't be...? You're not..."_

 _"Peeta, calm down. I'm not dead. I didn't die in the explosion."_

 _I bring my hands to my face and I let out a breath into my hands. I've never been so relieved in all my life. I felt like my heart had broken again just then. It was pumping so hard that I didn't even know what I could possibly do if Katniss died. I tried not to think about it because I just hoped to God that it would never happen. And luckily it hasn't, yet I am confused about what is going on now._

 _"Wait... If you're not dead and you say that... What is going on?" I ask._

 _Her chuckle goes through the air._

 _"You're unconscious. This is all your imagination."_

 _I whip around and I see her sitting there in the little boat across from where I was sitting. My eyes widen as I look over her profile. Her skin glistens in the light around us, her eyes pop and her hair flows in the warm wind that blows through the image I have thought up. She sits in a white dress, showing off her curves and bringing out her olive skin. She has a smile on her face which could just make me fall overboard this tiny boat. I slowly sit back down and take her hands into mine, so soft, small and delicate._

 _"Am I unconscious because of the bomb?" I ask._

 _She nods her head._

 _"So, where am I actually now?"_

 _"A burns unit in the Capitol. It's taken over by the rebels so it's all people on our side."_

 _I nod my head in understanding._

 _"What's is going to happen when I wake up?"_

 _"You'll wake up in a room with me a few rooms down and same with the little girl."_

 _I screw my face in disbelief._

 _"I told them to not split us all up... But they have done that anyways."_

 _"They had too. There was nothing you could say which would make them do anything different." She says softly._

 _"Yes, well..."_

 _"Well...?"_

 _"I didn't want to wake up and not know what they had done to you when I have been somewhere else. Since the last time I was in the Capitol when they hijacked me... I didn't want something like that to happen to you."_

 _"Well, nothing like that has happened to me and it won't. I'm sure when you wake up, you'll demand to see me and the girl before either doing it with authority or not."_

 _I smile and laugh as I realise how much that actually sounds like me. It's more like Katniss to break authority, then myself. But in the certain circumstances... I would definitely break authority if they didn't let me see Katniss or Elena._

 _A few minutes pass and Katniss says,_

 _"It's time for me to go."_

 _I look up at her and she stands up, steps onto the edge of the tiny boat and looks back, her hair flowing behind her in a beautiful wave._

 _"Go? Where?"_

 _"Back to my body. We are our body's souls. We need to wake up. Follow me."_

 _Katniss is about to leap down into the starry river when I grab onto her hand._

 _"Wait a second."_

 _I bring her down, pressing my lips to hers once more. I feel our lips mould together and I pull back and we both step up onto the edge of the boat and we jump together into the starry river. My body feel like it's jumping into a puddle of fire, my skin burns and I feel Katniss's hand leave mine._

My whole body aches when I come too. My hands are sting from what must be from the fire when I tried to help Katniss. I try and move my body, but it just stings and burns. I open my eyes and I am first blinded by the bright light of what must be the burns unit. When my eyes do adjust, they take in the room I am stationed in, white and nothing much else. I groan and gasp when I realise how much my whole body is aching. It feels like someone has ripped the skin from my body. It does feel like that, but I know it was only fire ripping my skin from me. I hear a relatively steady beeping near me. I turn my head and see a heart machine and a drip filled with white liquid. I keep looking around and I find that what Katniss told me in my vision was correct, Katniss and Elena are nowhere to be found. I move my body in an attempts in which to try and get used to the pain if I have to get up and see them, on my own accord of course.

"Mr Mellark, don't move. You'll tear your scars back open." A voice says to me.

I turn my head in the direction of the voice and I see a woman entering the room, coming up to me and laying me back down onto the bed.

"Where's Katniss?"

"Mr Mellark, you have to sit still so your burns can heal."

"Where is Katniss? And Elena?"

"Katniss is being treated more heavily as her burns are more severe than yours were since she was very close to the explosion. And Elena is down in the children ward with concussion and amnesia."

I let that all soak in for a few minutes as the woman walks around the bed, checking all of my wounds and my monitors.

"Can I see them?" I ask.

"Not in your condition..."

"No you don't understand... I have to see them."

"I do understand..."

"NO YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! I have to see Katniss. And Elena." I start off yelling, ending with soft whispers.

The nurse takes a deep breath, sitting on the edge of the bed. I take this time to look at her profile. Long blonde hair, big brown eyes, pale complexion and a scar running from her eyebrow to the middle of her cheek. She is quite beautiful and I know for someone other than myself, she would be somewhat of a catch for someone. But, my heart belongs to Katniss and Katniss knows that.

"Look, I know I'm not supposed to allow anything like this since I am just a nurse, but... we can go to them if you want."

I let out a sigh of relief. A wave of happiness radiates from my mind as I begin to wonder how the nurse is going to get me to see Katniss and Elena.

"Do you mind if I ask your name?" I ask after the extreme amount of happiness has left my body.

"Rachela."

"Rachela. That's beautiful."

"Thank you. I had no choice of course, but it's not the worst name I've heard."

I smile.

"So, how are we going to get there?" I ask.

"I was thinking if I could get you into a wheelchair, I could take you to them." Rachela states.

I nod my head in understanding and I let myself rest for the last couple of minutes before she takes me to see Katniss. She goes out to get a wheelchair whereas I stay still to help myself get ready to be put into the wheelchair. Where she will stretching all of the skin as she helps me get into the wheelchair to see Katniss and Elena. When she comes back in, she places it by the bed and she slowly takes the drips and other cords from my body.

"Look, I am going to be putting you at risk of opening your wounds, but I do understand what you want and I will get you to where you want to be."

I nod my head and she begins to slide her hands under my body, lifting me up so I am sitting up in the bed. It hurts all over my body and I clench my teeth as she does this.

"I'm sorry." She apologises.

When I'm sitting up, she turns me so I am facing her in the bed, my legs hanging off the bedside.

"Okay, Peeta. You are going to have to get off the bed for me to get you into the wheelchair, okay? Very slowly also to not stretch the skin grafts."

"Is my leg still attached?"

"Umm..."

She pulls the covers from my legs and she walks over to the other side of the room. She must attach my leg with ease before nodding her head.

"So stand up for me, Peeta. I've got you." She assures me.

I nod my head and I grab onto the bedside railing for support. Rachela also grabs my other hand and helps me down onto the ground. My feet touch the ground and I instantly feel shaky. My legs want to buckle, but I keep myself up as best as I can. I lean over into the wheelchair, sitting down and letting out a sigh of relief.

"Very well done, Peeta." Rachela tells me, fixing up a few things before she start to wheel myself around the room towards the door.

A few minutes later, we are outside Katniss's room. She pushes the door open and pushes me in. It's plain just like mine was, except with more equipment surrounding her bed. She wheels me to the bed and she leaves me at the edge, the bed high enough that I can't see her. Rachela walks around the bed and she presses upon a button and the bed comes moving down. She stops it and steps back, placing a hand on my shoulder as I stare at Katniss's body.

"I'll come back in after a few minutes, alright?"

I don't answer, I keep my eyes fixated on Katniss's body.

Patches of newly growing skin cover parts of her body that aren't covered with white patches. Her hand lies limp by mine and with flowing through my skin, I take her hand into mine. Her eyes stay closed and her chest slowly rises and falls with her breathing. Thank god she is alive. I could have sworn she was dead when I found her with the flames overtaking her body. She is looking just a bit more alive now than she was the last time I saw her. I keep my eyes on her and I watch her breathing, thanking the Lord that my beautiful Katniss is alive.

When Rachela comes back in, there has been no sign of Katniss waking up. She stayed in the same place, her body not moving the slightest. Rachela tells me that she should wake up tomorrow or the day after, since she has been asleep for four days already, the same as I was. Rachela tells me that we can come back when she has woken up, and I gracefully accept it. She wheels me out and raises Katniss's bed before she take me to the children's ward. I hear the soft sounds of children's voices as we approach it and it becomes to be apparent that more children were injured in this than I began to think about. We into it and she wheels me right down the end, walking through children with similar burn marks, broken legs and arms, the amount of different injuries these children have makes me want to cry. I've always had a soft spot of children and looking at them like this makes me want to cry so hard.

She pulls me up to a room at the end of the ward and she open the door, pushing me through to find more rooms, except not beds lined up next to each other.

"Since you told us to look after Elena, that's what we did. We kept her safe and we figured we may as well keep her in one of these rooms. And we also wanted to keep her mind occupied so she could try and think about all of the things which she has forgotten. She hadn't forgotten her name, but most of the rest she forgot. She doesn't even remember her parents names, even what they looked like. Her whole life has been erased."

I feel my whole body shut down at the thought of someone going through something like I did except worse. Not knowing anything at all. I had my memories changed, Elena has nothing. Now I definitely feel obligated to help her get through this. We pull up to one of the rooms and she presses a plate, taking her fingerprint before it buzzes and opens. She walks in first and says a few things which sound like,

"Elena, someone is here to see you. It may help you remember."

I hear a soft 'okay' before Rachela pushes the door open, pushing me through.

The room has bright colours and the alphabet and numbers up to twenty across the top of the room. A bed sits in the middle of the room and to the side, a bean bag and toys scattered across one side of the room. The tuff of blonde curls sit on a little plastic chair and desk, colouring in something.

"Elena..." Rachela says, grabbing the little girls attention.

She turns her head around and she looks at me. I smile and her eyes grow wide and she lets the biggest smile cross her face. She jumps up from the chair, running over to me. The thing which escapes her lips next is what makes me confused.

"Daddy!"

 **Another cliffhanger! Sorry. Please tell me what you think about Elena and her part in the story. She will be a bigger part and I am looking forward to getting into her head, like I have with the other characters. Follow, favourite, REVIEW and follow mw! I've also been informed of people requesting some lemony goodness (I JUST LOVE THAT SAYING!), so I will be including more. everlark4ever75 xox**


	7. Chapter 7- Explanation

**Chapter 6- Explanations**

 **Peeta's POV**

"I don't know what would make her think like this, Peeta. Believe me, it's just as a shock to you as it is to me." Rachela explains to me.

After Elena said "Daddy!", I fell straight into shock. Rachela excused us immediately, heading back out to the corridor in front of her room.

"She called me 'Daddy'. Why would she do that? I only met her once before and that was when I helped her..."

"Peeta, think about it. That may have been the only engagement you had with her, but it must have been the last engagement she had with someone. It must mean that she must remembered you, maybe just in a different context to what you actually are."

I keep repeating in my brain that someone calling me their father. It was a complete shock, yet it almost felt softening to hear someone say that and be directed at me. I've always wanted that, but it's not something that people deal with on a daily basis… having a pretty much complete stranger calling you their father. The only thing is, I cannot fathom how much this situation confuses me. I know I had saved her, helped her and made sure she was taken care of whilst in this situation, but I don't understand why she called me that. I'm sure that Dr Aurelius will think it's not safe to possibly look after a child, even though the monster has gone for the moment, hidden within my body, my soul. I can't help but feel for the little child who addressed me as their father.

"Rachela, I just… I don't know what I am supposed to do. Now, at such a time, I feel I should take responsibility for her…"

"You don't have to do anything. Just because she remembers you doesn't mean you have to do anything. I mean, it would be good for her to at least… remember someone from before her amnesia. But, I think it would be good for you to have someone around her to help her remember. She will most likely go up for adoption after this anyways…" Rachela finishes.

I stand in disbelief for a few seconds, staring up at Rachela. I don't think I could just let someone put a child who thinks of me as their parent up for adoption. I hate hearing such things fall from her mouth. Just the thought of what could happen to her, being there in an orphanage or what people could pick her up, especially here in the Capitol.

"No."

"No? What do you mean, Peeta?"

"I mean, Elena will not be going up for adoption. I will not allow it." I tell her.

"Peeta, unless you adopt her yourself, she is has no carers except for those here in the hospital and those who will take her when she is better. It's not a demand you can make, it's the law."

"I'm a Victor. I should be able to have some kind of immunity or something to do with getting whatever I want!" I proclaim.

I really do hate using my title of a Victor to get things. It seems like something I do not deserve as other deserve the same equality as everyone else. But, in circumstances such as these, I have to insist on things like this. I cannot let a small, innocent child who remembers only myself in this world at this stage, I have to help her, look after her, care for her.

Rachela looks at me with a sad look upon her face. I can't help but look up at her with sadness embedded within my features.

"Please. I will do anything. I've heard of the things which people do to the children they adopt. I've heard so much. I couldn't let her go to any place like that. I can helped her, saved her. I saw her mother dead before my eyes. I saw the sadness in her eyes as she pointed at her dead mother! Let me look af-"

"You have a condition, Peeta-"

"I know that! If I asked my psychologist it, he would say it wouldn't be safe for any of us. But, I've already proven I can be safe around the person who was supposed to be a threat to me, who I would have to kill in order to feel safe! I don't understand why I couldn't be allowed such things."

Rachela continues looking at me and I grow frustrated. I bring my hands up painfully to my head and I ball my hair in my hands. I let out a frustrated groan before rubbing my eyes, looking back up to her. She opens her mouth, beginning to say something. She must be thinking about what she could say because she closes her mouth, letting her eyes drift up to the ceiling. She blinks her eyes a few times before looking back down to me, opening her mouth and words coming out.

"It's up to Dr Aurelius. We had to contact 13 in order to get your health records to what we could give you. Dr Aurelius talked to me personally. He wanted to know everything that I knew about yours and Katniss's conditions. He was leaving 13 tomorrow morning. But, it's up to what he says. I can recommend it and get someone else to as well, but in the end it's all up to him and our recommendations could mean nothing to him, we just don't know."

I watch her, taking in everything she just said to me. Yet, all I can think about is one thing. And that one thing is all I ask,

"Can I see her again?"

Within the next few minutes, Rachela agreed and ran through the things that would be alright to say around her and things not to bring up. With that list in my head, I can only think about looking down at her little face again and thinking that she could at some stage be mine. I know it's rushing to conclusions and everything I am thinking isn't right, but I can't help but care for the girl. Elena was who I thought of whilst I was passed out from my injuries, as well as Katniss of course. Ten minutes after our conversation, Rachela wheels me back into the room containing Elena. Elena's eyes light up as soon as I enter, those big brown eyes looking up at me with nothing but happiness towards me. Rachela leaves me in the middle of the room, walking over and picking up some of Elena's toys. Elena comes over to me, placing her hand on my knee, looking up at me with those huge big brown eyes.

"I missed you." She says.

Her voice isn't like how it was the first time I heard her speak a few days ago. It's more confident and not scared about something she has just witnessed. I say not only the one thing that you can reply with, but the thing that I want to reply with.

"I missed you too."

I didn't say that because I felt obligated, but because it was true. I did miss Elena, I did want to see her. I wanted to see if she was okay and how she was holding up with the death of her mother. But, now I am not sure what she could be thinking because of her amnesia. Elena keeps looking up with me and all of a sudden, she looks instantly sad. I don't know what I could have said to make her like this, I haven't moved or anything. Or maybe that _is_ the problem.

"Elena? What is it?" I ask.

She looks down at her feet, a frown now appearing on her face. I look over at Rachela and I narrow my eyes at her in a questioning manner, wondering what could be running through her head. Rachela shakes her head and shrugs her shoulders, looking back down to the child in front of me. My eyes drift back down to her, her eyes getting watery. I want to reach down and pick her up, but I know that Rachela would not let me because of my growing skin.

"Elena? Please tell me what's wrong." I murmur.

Her little lips quiver and she chokes out,

"You won't pick me up. Aren't you happy to see me?"

I can't help but smile at this, I cannot do anything towards it. I look over to Rachela and I nod at her to come over and lift her up.

"Elena, I can't. I got burnt from the bombs. Remember?"

She nods her head.

"My skin is growing back and Rachela wouldn't let me move around so my skin can grow back. I would pick you up and I was happy to see you, but Rachela wouldn't let me. Do you know what I am saying?"

She nods her head and Rachela comes up behind her and she picks her up and places her softly onto my lap.

"You have to be careful, Elena. He's hurt."

"Okay." She whispers.

Elena slowly and carefully wraps her arms around my neck, pressing her face into my neck. I bring my arms up, wrapping them around her. My skin stretches as I move my arms in a way that I haven't done before the injuries occurred. I haven't ever held someone so small like this before, Prim was the smallest person I had ever hugged and that was extremely brief. There is a sense of comfort finally holding onto her. She may not even really be mine, but in this moment, it feels like she could be.

I hold onto her for minutes before she pulls back and gives me a smile, looking into my eyes like she is memorizing every speck of colour. I do the same with hers, the outer rings of her eyes are dark blue and as they get to the outer ring of the pupil, they are a very light blue. There are flecks of silver in the blue hues of her eyes. If someone saw her with me, they would probably think she was my daughter, if not than my very young sister. She leans over and presses a kiss to my fore head, giggling as she pulls back. I shouldn't be surprised that she did that, it's not like she is aware that I am not really her father. It's probably how she would have always greeted her real father. But, I don't even when she lost her father, if it was at all. I know that her mother was dead, she made that quite clear. But, there was no mention of a father that she was looking for. Maybe he was somewhere already safe or he was already dead before the bombings and had already dismissed his death, partially. I know that I will never get over my family's death, especially my father's. I have still yet been able to sit and mourn over their deaths. All that I've had time for was training to go into war, my reverse hijacking and everything relating back to getting me back to the _Peeta_ I was before and am now.

I look over Elena's shoulder and I see that there is drawings all over the ground. Lots of them. I try and see what they are from this distance, but I cannot figure out what they are from the distance which is between myself and the drawings which are on the other side of the room.

"Elena? Have you been drawing?" I ask the little blonde girl with the most magnificent blue eyes.

She jumps off my lap, skipping down to the floor where all of her drawings are scattered.

"Yes! They have given me lots of paper and different colours!" She screeches, turning around and picking up a container of the rainbow in different kinds of colouring tools. Pencils, markers, crayons, even some pastels. I'm jealous, I haven't been able to draw anything for months. Aside from when I was given a lead pencil and told to start drawing what I could see in my head, that's the only amount of time I have had to draw something in the past almost six months.

Drawing or painting as always been a release for me. So, it- _theoretically_ \- should have been some kind of release from the things which I was seeing in my head constantly, but they wouldn't allow me to have any time to draw anything else. They only wanted to see how I saw Katniss after the things that they did to me in the Capitol. As much as it pained me somewhere deep inside, I drew her as the 'mutt' that I believed she was. I could never see what they thought about the drawing. They just kept asking me the same things I've already answered a hundred times. Every time they pushed me too hard, I feel into an episode and they knocked me out before I could try and come out of it on my own. I know that the people in Thirteen were supposed to be helping me, but it almost seemed that they only tried to help me get through my episodes or my flashbacks, they would just use morphing. I accomplished more on my own when here in the Capitol than I did in the Capitol. Here in the Capitol, I had the time to myself to actually think about everything. In Thirteen, I was constantly being used as a test subject for everyone to try out things on me, trying to find something that worked to help tame that demon inside. I was constantly talked to in Thirteen, having no time to myself. I didn't even have nights, they knocked me out so I couldn't try and escape. Because apparently trying to break out of there was something I could have done, but believe me, I had thought about it once or twice.

I look over my shoulder, stopping any more thoughts I could have about my time in Thirteen or even further back, my time in the Capitol. I make eye contact with Rachela, before cocking my head in the direction of the proud little girl in the corner, admiring her work. She shakes her head, bringing herself from her train of thought also before coming and pushing me closer to Elena. When I am just about on top of her work, Rachela stops me and walks back over to her previous position, taking watch for other doctors. Now, I take the time to admire her work. There are some drawings you may expect from a young girl, rainbow ponies, purple flowers, green skies and orange grass with blue trees, just random assortments. They all make me smile. Then there are the other ones, ones which seem to be memories. I can't make much out of the pictures, aside from one seeming to be of her mother. I only saw her once, when Elena was crying over her body, body coated with blood and the life gone from her eyes. The woman in her picture has yellow hair, curled atop of her head, just like Elena's. Big brown eyes and a small frail body. Just from Elena's drawing, you can see the commonalities of Elena and her mother.

Then there is one picture, it seems of me. Probably because of her amnesia and her last thoughts being of me because I helped her. But, I can see her having much pride in that one. She holds it right underneath my nose, a huge smile upon her face. I congratulate her on it and then she packs them all up. I look back to Rachela, seeing her look over at me.

"How much longer can we be here for?" I ask.

She sighs heavily, looking outside the windows again. She then turns after a few moments, a sad expression spread across her face.

"It's probably best to head back now, before someone realises that you are gone."

I look back to Elena and watch her smile drop. I beacon her to come to me and she does, Rachela places her back onto my lap.

"Elena, I will come back. I promise. Next time when I come over, it'll be for longer." I explain to her.

In the corner of my eye, I can see Rachela shake her head and turn away, but I keep my eyes trained on Elena. Elena nods her head, I see the spark leaving her eye. I lift her head which falls to look down at her fingers, she has the softest skin. The only soft skin I will be in the presence of for a very long time. Considering that my skin is now covered with scars and skin grafts. My skin along with Katniss' is never going to be the same. It's something that I am never going to be able to live out. The same with the scars with cover my body from the torture that I have endured from my time in the Capitol.

She leans over and hugs me very softly. But, it's enough to make me need to get better quicker to help her get a home where she is going to be happy. Rachela then takes her off of me, leaving her on the floor. As Rachela wheels me out of the small room, taking me back into the direction of where we came. As we I am wheeled past the room, I see her small little face. I see hope blooming in her eyes. That little face gives me hope. And I cannot let her down. Neither her nor Katniss. They are the people that they are going to get me back on my feet. That's it. That's what I have to do.


	8. Chapter 8- Katniss Meets Elena

**Chapter 8- Katniss Meets Elena**

 **Katniss' POV**

 _I'm floating and I cannot stop. I'm on a cloud which is made of nothing, I'm just moving above flames with roar underneath me. There are all around me. It's like I'm in a pit of fire and I'm the only thing not red, hot and burning. I hear a soft calling of my name. It's soft, but it sounds like yelling. I turn my head, to feel a sharp and burning pain through my whole body. I look down at my hands, seeing my skin covered with horrible oozing, bloody scars. I feel the pain rip over my whole body. I have to see the person that's calling my name, no matter how much horrible pain I am in. I turn my head in the direction of the constant calling, pushing all the pain to the back of my mind. I see the blonde braids and I know who it is instantly, Prim. Before I can smile, I see the flames have engulfed her body. I see the tears dripping to her cheeks, the pain in her eyes and her mouth moving to the scream of my name. As I go to call her name, she disappears and I soon only see the flames distinguishing._

My eyes fly open, only to be branded with white. I feel the same pain over my body as I did in my mind previously. It can't be… I open my eyes again after recovering from the previous white covered surroundings. I look down at my arms, seeing them covered with bandages. I hear a gasp fall from my lips before I can allow it, looking at my new state. What even happened? The bombs! They did this I can only remember being engulfed with flames. I can remember in the pain being too bearable before I could only see flames before my eyes. Wow, I was the real girl on fire. Now I'm glad Cinna only used fake flames considering the pain I can feel myself having to bare as I lay here. I try and keep myself calm as I start to think about my sister and where she could be. And where Peeta could be. Before I can think anything more, I hear the door swing open.

There is a small woman in white nursing gowns that enters, when she sees my eyes, hers widen. Before I can mutter a word, she runs out. My eyebrows furrow, confused about what had just occurred. Was it because I was finally awake? Was it because of how I looked? Both are accurate explanations. Before I can think about anything more, the door opens again. The same woman comes in, followed by a man who I could only think was a doctor.

"Miss Everdeen, it's good to see you awake."

I say nothing in response. I can only think about Prim and Peeta. And where they are now.

"Where is my sister?" My voice, hoarse and pained.

The doctor's eyes shift over to the nurse. Her eyebrows narrow before the doctor looks over at me. I feel my whole world slip from beneath me as his lips move to form the words,

"She was gone when we got there."

He starts to explain some things, maybe about me, maybe about Prim, but I can only feel my soul being ripped from my depths and thrown into that fire which claimed my sister. All I can feel is pain. My whole body is consumed with that pain, throbbing over every single cell in my body. My head starts to thump as I try and hold back from screaming, or even worse, crying. The one person that always there for me, the one person to make me happy just from a thought, the one person to make my life worth fighting for, gone. As quick as blinking, as catatonic as a boom of a cannon, just… gone. My family, just dying off, one by one. First my father, who I loved so much, who taught me everything which I now am taken for granted for, who taught me to love, hunt, scavenge. He taught me how to be the best for myself and my family. He helped me more than anyone else. But my precious Prim, she taught me to love someone else, to love myself. She helped me through my horrible times, sometimes just from a simple smile. She was so wise. Like a ninety-four year old woman in a thirteen year olds body. Prim was there for me after Dad died, the only person because our mother ignored everyone and anything else which was happening around us. Now, it was just going to be me. My mother probably already gone into an impassive state. Now, it's just me.

I catch on to what he says with another name.

"What happened to him? Is he gone too?" The words tumble out, rushed, full of concern and worry.

The thought of him being gone too, that would just tip me off to end my life. My horrible now loveless life.

"He's very much alive."

The best thing that he has said to me. Relief washes over me for a few seconds, then I think about Prim again. This time when he talks, I listen.

"He woke up a few days ago. He's been visiting you every day, even though you were unconscious. He had a fit when he wasn't in a room with you."

 _A fit_.

I fear the worst when I hear that.

"What do you mean _fit_?" My voice scared.

The doctor shakes his head.

"Not the kind that you may be referring too. His condition is seemed to be nothing like it's specified on his medical records from Thirteen."

More relief flows from my body for a split second. I sigh and let my eyes see the inside of my eyelids.

"He wakes up every day, eats a small amount then demands to come and see you and Elena. That's all he does in his-"

"Who is Elena?" It's a demand which falls from my lips, almost harsh, but definitely snarky.

Who is this woman? Did he realise that I would never be the same after my sister died? He lost the love of his life and now I've been replaced by someone named Elena. Why would he visit me and her? Is he just deciding who is more important to him? Who he wants to have his children? Who he wants to wake up next to every morning and fall asleep next to? Who he wants to make love to? I feel my blood boil at the thought of someone else doing that with Peeta.

"Miss Everdeen, it's not what you are thinking." The nurse speaks up for the first time.

My eyes fly up to her, burning a hole in the middle of her head. Her blonde hair tied back from her face, showing off her pale complexion and her brown eyes looking at me with something I cannot put my finger too. Happiness, jealously, excitement, even something funny? It's confusing. She has a large scar running down from her eyebrow to her cheek.

"Well, are you going to tell me who this Capitol scum is?" I hiss.

The nurse shakes her head, biting her lip to contain a smile from spreading across her lips. It just makes me even angrier. Why would she be laughing at me? How is it not what I think? Who else would Peeta be looking over when they are sleeping? Maybe she's not even sleeping! Who is this woman that Peeta is talking to when I am almost on my death bed? I have to know!

"Miss Everdeen, Peeta will be waking up in a matter of minutes. He will be pulling me along to get in here when he knows you are awake. He'll be the one to inform you of Elena. It's no really our place to say so." She tells me.

I can't even smile at the thought of seeing Peeta right now. I'm too full of fury, too betrayed. She rushes off without another word, I assume to go to Peeta.

"You have burn scars covering your body. You are still going to be kept in here for another week at the least, to try and give you the time to heal yourself and your mind. We don't have any kind of special medical techniques to make this a quicker process or to get rid of the scars. But, we are doing all we can to try and get you into better health as soon as possible."

I don't even listen to him. I am too overcome with betrayal, sadness, like a stab to the heart, over and over again. One, I lose my sister, the one person that I was certain that was always there for me, the one that I loved unconditionally. And second, Peeta. He goes and sees some little Capitol slut because I am too broken to get back to the girl I was when he first saw me. Betrayal. It keeps stabbing me in the chest until I can feel myself falling into a place somewhere close to where my mother was with my father's death. A deep dark hole, with no ladder, to only show signs when a small amount of light is shone in. But, never to be able to climb back out. I feel hopeless, nothing to look forward too. My life is as good as done. And I'm not even eighteen. The only thing I can look forward to is shooting my arrow into President Snow's body, for all the pain and death that he has given me and everyone else in Panem. That hate will never lighten up, that I know for sure.

Just as the doctor goes to check the machines surrounding me, the door bursts open and I know who is there without even having to move my eyes from the wall ahead of me. I see a flash of gold in the corner of my eyes, my head moves to look at him without my hearts consent. The first thing that I can take in is that he is covered head to toe with the same burns and bandages that I am. How would he be covered like me? He was heaps further behind us all from the explosion. Why would he be like this? I can't even rack my brain for what is going on, I cannot make sense of the situation. He probably got them helping that Elena scum. My jaw clenches and my eyes burn a hole into his scull as I look to him. The blue eyes that can bring a whole nation to fall at his feet soon fill with sadness as his smile falls when he sees my new expression.

"Katniss?" He calls, being wheeled further into the room.

I want to ignore him, make him feel some kind of pain, but I don't have any explanation as for why. Aside from the betrayal and excruciating hurt I am feeling after hearing the news about my now dead sister, I have more hate to fuel my fire which burns furiously within me. My lips move without consent. Why does this boy have such an effect on me? I ask myself as I speak.

"Why are you here? Shouldn't you be with that Elena scum?"

My voice stings and hits a nerve in my own body, I can only imagine how he feels. He is the one who has hurt me, yet I feel horrible for saying it. It hurts my insides to say such words in a voice that I never thought I could conjure.

Peeta turns around to the nurse with the scar running down her face, pain flicking across his face and he turns his head. Something inside stings to see him in pain, what are these feelings? He says something to her and she just smiles, saying,

"She's all yours."

I don't understand what she means. Obviously, this thing with the scum is more than I could even contemplate. She wheels Peeta in, leaving him next to my bed before walking out, the doctor following her. Now, Peeta and I are alone. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing at the moment. Bad seems like the best answer.

"Whatever you are thinking of Elena, it's totally different to what you would even believe." He begins, a small smile upon his lips.

"What could it be? You've obviously already replaced me. Made someone else to be one half of the Star-Crossed Lovers."

"We aren't Star-Crossed Lovers. I promise you."

"Don't promise me anything if you can't keep that promise." My voice seething with anger.

He smiles, whispering,

"I _promise_ you, Katniss. It's not what you think. It's the complete opposite."

I stare up at him, my facial expressions softening just that little bit.

"I want to take you to show her, but I can't walk you anywhere without Rachela with me."

"I'm sure she can walk. Or maybe she could walk on her knees. Maybe being on her knees is normal for her."

I can only think about the horrible things she could have done which I could only think about doing with the boy with the bread.

Peeta's eyes close, his head shaking with his eyebrows furrowed together.

"Katniss do not say that. I know you are only thinking the worst, but just stop."

"Well tell me instead of beating around the bloody bush! I cannot handle this and what happened to _her_!" I can't let myself think about Prim, I'll cry before I can even think her name.

His eyes open and I see the instant sadness behind his eyes, myself trying to look at the water gathering in the corners of his eyes.

"They already told you."

His hand extends out and lands on my hand. I would flick off his hand, but I don't think that I can from the burns covering my body. And his comfort is the most that I've got from anyone since the basement in Tigris's shop.

"Please just tell me what the deal with this Elena girl." My voice is slurred with my throat closing up with the pain building up inside me from the things I've been told.

He sighs and says,

"Elena is exactly what you say. A girl."

My eyes fly open, looking him dead in the eyes. He has a small smile on his lips.

"She's a four year old girl. I saved her after I saved you."

I look away from him, gathering this information. I can hear his chuckle and the words _four year old girl_ echoing in my head. Now, I feel so stupid! I was thinking of the horrible things that this person would be doing to Peeta, but she's just a girl. Thinking that she would take him away from me, but again, she's only a girl. All of that anger and betrayal that I felt is gone. I had nothing to worry about, now I just feel stupid and extremely embarrassed.

"Now, that's been resolved for now and you don't want to put an arrow in my head, can we have the reunion that I thought about for the past three days please?" His voice still dripping with laughter, but clouding my thoughts.

I look back over to him, seeing him standing over my bed. I nod and shake my head like an idiot for my mistake, mumbling,

"Just for the record, I was thinking about the torture I could do to an older Capitol woman for doing horrible things to you."

He laughs, reaching over and pressing a button on the wall, moving my bed up that little bit. I feel the skin on my back and neck stretching, he stops just before I can start to hurt. My body now my higher than it was just a few moments prior. He sits down on the bed, close to my head, probably so neither of us are in too much pain for a long time.

His hand moves my hand which laid on the bed to in his lap, lacing my fingers with his, running his thumb over the back of my hand very softly, enough to make my body shiver. I look up from our hands, into his eyes, down to his lips, flicking my tongue out and wetting the dry things which one would call lips. He leans over without any more time to waste, capturing my lips with his own. And I fall into a pit where only Peeta can put me, somewhere were only the pair of us can be together. As his lips are gentle, I can feel the power behind it. When he breaks apart, allowing us air to breathe, his spare hand comes up, cupping my cheek very gently, being aware of the burns which are probably there which I cannot see yet. When our tongues touch, sparks run straight into my gut, making it feel so much more beautiful than it really is.

Peeta makes me feel beautiful, he has a way of being able to hit something inside which makes me feel like we are the only thing which matters in whatever horrible situation or place that we find ourselves in. I can't help but grip Peeta's hand which he holds in his hand as hard as I can without it becoming too painful for myself or him. I can't tangle my hands in his hair because I can't move my hand from his grip or the other one without tearing the scars on my body.

He pulls back and gives a small peck on my lip before just letting the pair of us breathe.

"Now…" He begins before taking another breather.

"She would be very good on her knees since she has probably only been walking for a few years." Peeta finishes.

I laugh. And genuinely laugh. But, quietly because Peeta's face and mine are still pressed together leaving a gap between our lips. He chuckles along with me, pressing a soft kiss to my nose when we calm down. Then I start to think about when Prim used to crawl around before she could walk. It was always so cute. When she did walk for the first time, she dropped down to the ground and then crawled the rest of the way towards her destination. I close my eyes and try to think about something else. I cannot cry now. One, because if I start now, I'll never be able to stop. And second, I can't ruin this time with Peeta. He's all I have now, I can't let him run from me.

"How did you save me? How did you get those burns?" I ask, rushed, trying to change the subject.

I think he realise what is making me change the subject so quickly. He nods his head instantly, sliding of the bed and falling back into his wheelchair. He takes my hand again along with the both of his, then telling me,

"After the second bomb went off, it was a frenzy. I was running around trying to find you. I could hear my voice from your microphone, so I kept calling your name and following the repetition until I found you. I put out your flames and then my own after I caught fire from your flames."

"You didn't have to do that. I'm sure I would have been fine."

"I did have too. Finding you was my first priority was finding you. My second was finding Prim."

I feel my breathe catch in my throat. I want to cry, just from hearing those words, but I cannot let myself cry. Because Peeta will then want to comfort me and he can't do that with our injuries. It will hurt the both of us more if I cry than if I just keep it in. Maybe when this is all over, we can finally have that peace that we all deserve and have that time to cry without causing myself even more pain. So, like I have since awaking to this new world without my sister, I have to hold in my pain for the time being. No matter how much it hurts me, I just have too. I think Peeta can sense my new state, he leans up, runs a hand down my hair and changes the subject before I can even think about anything else. I stare into the unknown space ahead of the bed, hoping to concentrate on something within that dead air.

"I heard a girl crying and I had to go and find her, since I was aware of your state, I went after her. I found her laying down on the ground and crying. I did the usual thing one would do when you see a child in strive, tell them that you mean no harm. And I would never have hurt her, anyone would know that. So, in the end, she pointed to her mother behind me after we were acquainted. She was dead. Shot in the temple, she would have been dead before she could even think about what happened. And Elena was just destroyed. She was upset and hurt. I fell for her instantly. I wanted to help her until she found herself another family to join. So, I put myself down as her guardian for now. Being a Victor does have us as top priority, especially here in the Capitol."

I look back over at Peeta, lifting my hand the best that I can, placing it onto his which moved from my face and next to the bed during his talk.

"You are so brave. You should be taking care of yourself more than the rest of us. _You_ are more important."

He scoffs, letting his head sink down and shaking it. He then looks up at me with a small smirk, making me feel special for him to smirk at me like that. It's like the smirk he gave me on the beach in the Quarter Quell. Makes me fall for him over again.

"Nope. My life is dedicated to saving you and anyone else. Your life is more important. Especially because you are still the Mockingjay-"

I inwardly groan, ignoring most of what he said.

"Uh, the Mockingjay. I forgot about that for a small second there. I don't want to be the leader of the revolution anymore."

My words kind of just stick in the air for a little while. I don't want to think about being the Mockingjay anymore. I don't even know how the rebellion is even going considering I've been unconscious for days.

"After the bombings, Snow was arrested. He's going to be eliminated by you when you are up to it. Coin apparently wants you rested and better before you kill him. But, it's pretty much over now, Katniss. We can go home soon."

I think over his words. Me to kill Snow. What I have been dreaming of for years. I can finally get the revenge from all the horrible things he has made myself, my friends and my family to endure. And for the rebellion to be over, I never thought this day would come. It's been such a long road to get here. It's cost so many lives, but we have almost got there. Just one small thing left and that's to finally put my arrow through Snow's skull. That's the only thing I want most in the world now. _Home_. Where is home? District 12 is home, but it's smithereens. But the Village was still standing. That's home. That's the only place left I have to call home. Where ever Peeta is will be my home. I just hope he is allowed to come back. He's all better, he just has all of these other things which they will probably have to go through before he can return.

 _No, Katniss. I just have just to think about the positives._

 _It's almost over._

 _It's almost over._

"Can I meet Elena?"

The words tumble before I can allow them. Peeta nods his head. He tells me he is going to go and bring her in. But, as he turns himself around in the wheelchair, the door opens. I see Rachela come through the door, just her head, the rest of her body is hanging out of the doorway.

"Peeta, what did you want?" Rachela asks.

"I wanted to get Elena so she could meet-"

Before I can hear Peeta's last word which was my name, I see a mess of blonde curls. My first instincts are shock.

"PRIM!" I cry out, ripping the cords from my arms and jumping up from the bed.

Pain erupts through my body at my next attempts to get to my sister. I hear yelling all around me, but I can only concentrate on the blonde curls that I saw moments before. Doctors bombard the room, blocking my view from my sister. I hear a young girl scream and yell,

"DADDY!"

"It's okay, sweetie!"

Peeta's voice fills my mind, clouding anything other than those words.

 _Daddy?_ _The hell?!_

I call out for Prim again, then I feel people pull me back to the bed. I feel a sharp pain in my arms and I feel my grip slipping. They can't take me from her. As I start screaming and feeling myself slipping away again, I see one thing which fills my eyes-

Brown.

 **Author's Note:**

 **I had a huge writing craving last Sunday and I wrote 5 pages! So, I got it done today and I edited it! Yeah! I did! So new for me! I hope you liked it. I have fun writing jealous Katniss. She is the best, even if it is of a four-year-old girl. Please tell me what you think. Suggestions are always welcome. I haven't got an idea as of yet for the next chapter, but I will be thinking about it for tonight. I'm going to be at my best friends and i'm going to write some more. Hopefully a lot!**

 **Love you guys, everlark4ever75 xox**


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